How we can help

• Help with identifying the best venues, services and activities to suit your conference requirements
• Connect with industry partners to undertake a financial feasibility study for your conference
• Liaise with city officials and local government bodies to obtain letters of support
• Coordinate and prepare a professional bid document detailing the advantages of choosing Christchurch as your conference destination
• Organise and host site inspections for key decision makers

As part of this process, you will have access to the Conference Assistance Programme (CAP) run by Tourism New Zealand.

CAP is available to any association or organisation bidding for a conference with more than 200 international delegates and can be used to assist with:

• Financial feasibility studies
• Attractive, customised bid documents
• Strategic marketing ideas
• Marketing collateral to promote New Zealand as a business events destination
• Research into the business events sector

To be considered for funding, your event must:

• be an ‘eligible business event’. This includes conferences, conventions, symposia, congresses, incentive group events, marketing events, seminars, training courses, trade-exhibitions, product launches, company general meetings or corporate retreats.
• not yet be confirmed to take place in Christchurch.
• must include at least one (1) night stay in Christchurch and ideally attract a minimum of 200 visiting delegates (e.g. from outside of Canterbury region).
• 70% or more of delegates must be international visitors.

On occasion, an event may be considered as an exception to the above eligibility criteria where it offers significant legacy outcomes for the city; establishes or develops capability for an identified international opportunity; or on the basis of high visitation in an identified quiet period for the city.

Eligible business events and levels of funding will primarily be assessed on how well they contribute to Christchurch’s knowledge economy and industry growth sectors:

• Aerospace and Future Transport
• Antarctic Office
• Food, Fibre and Agritech
• Health Tech and Resilient Communities
• High Tech Services
• Urban Development

Other critical factors include:

• social and environmental initiatives
• alignment with the city narrative and values
• indicators to ensure the business event will be a success (e.g. financial backing, experienced event organisers, or a successful recurring international business event).