Auckland icon hosts Tourism Industry Conference

19 September 2005

Auckland icon hosts Tourism Industry Conference

The New Zealand tourism industry is delighted to be holding its major annual get-together at the SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre, the country’s newest and most technically advanced convention centre.

The Tourism Industry Conference kicks off today and continues tomorrow and Wednesday, featuring a line-up of expert national and international speakers.
Tourism Industry Association chief executive Fiona Luhrs says it is appropriate that a conference focusing on the theme of “Managing Paradise” is being held in such a ‘heavenly’ venue.

“The SKYCITY Grand Hotel is a fantastic showcase for the best in New Zealand food, art and design,” she says. “Walk into most hotels and their uniformity makes you feel you could be in New York, London, Sydney or anywhere. But this one really feels like New Zealand. There’s nothing else like it in the country.”
Many of the 400-plus conference delegates will be staying at the new 316-room hotel and enjoying its Qualmark-rated five-star service and facilities.

Artwork by renowned New Zealand artists, including Shane Cotton, Dick Frizzell, Graham Fletcher, Terry Stringer, Michael Hight, Max Gimblett, Robert Ellis and Karl Maughan is featured throughout, while photography featured in every room is from the acclaimed collection of the late Robin Morrison.

The staff uniforms for the hotel were created by fashion leader Kate Sylvester and for its signature restaurant – dine by Peter Gordon - by established New Zealand designer Murray Crane.

“Surrounded by so much of the best New Zealand has to offer, Tourism Industry Conference delegates can’t help but be inspired and encouraged
in their efforts to provide top quality visitor experiences in our New Zealand ‘paradise’, Fiona Luhrs says.

ENDS

Convention Centre

The $65 million SKYCITY Auckland Convention Centre has been open just over a year and has the flexibility to cater for anything from cocktail functions and product launches to multi-day conferences with as many as 1000 delegates. It is putting Auckland on the map as a major international convention location – a valuable addition to New Zealand’s tourism industry as research shows that visiting convention delegates spend nearly 10 times more per day than the average international tourist.

The Tourism Industry Conference will be enjoying the use of its two levels of dedicated conferencing, exhibition and banqueting space totalling 5370m2, as well as access to its state-of-the-art technology including high speed wireless internet, video conferencing and a simultaneous interpretation system.

As a previous Supreme Award Winner in the New Zealand Tourism Awards, it is appropriate that SKYCITY Auckland is also hosting the 2005 Tourism Awards Gala on the final evening of the conference. With well over 700 guests attending to celebrate the cream of New Zealand’s tourism industry, SKYCITY Auckland will be showcasing its facilities to some of the most influential people in the tourism sector.

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