Rotorua - For Your Conference
With a wealth of things to see and do, and some great new conference facilities and attractions, it is only natural that Rotorua is fast becoming one of New Zealand’s top conference and incentive destinations.
Rotorua has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years. Extensive investments have been made in the conferencing arena and the Rotorua Convention Bureau has some exciting new incentives to offer business travellers and conference organisers.
New Flights
Rotorua’s central location at the heart of the Central North Island has always made it easily accessible from major centres, with regular Air NZ and Qantas connections to all the main cities. New Trans-Tasman flights are expected to start from Rotorua Airport in June 2009, opening up the city to the Australian conference market and providing some great opportunities for pre- and post-conference trips.
New Venues
There have been plenty of new conference venues opening lately, adding to Rotorua’s appeal as a conference destination. An award-winning option is Rotorua’s new Energy Events Centre – one of New Zealand’s largest venues – which can host conferences with more than 5000 delegates all the way down to smaller groups. The centre opened two years ago and recently took out two prizes in the 2008 Waikato/Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards. It was one of five winners in the Public Architecture category and also won a Resene Colour Award.
The Landing Cafe – now owned by Clearwater Cruises – is another new option for corporate and incentive groups. On the shores of Lake Tarawera, with stunning views to Mount Tarawera, The Landing is a magical place to experience, and there is a new range of guided walks, kayak trips and cultural experiences to match.
Also great for conferences is Rotorua’s new culturally themed spa resort on the eastern shore of Lake Rotorua. Wai Ora Lakeside Spa Resort has modern conference facilities seating 100 people using a stage set up. Facilities include indoor and outdoor break-out and entertainment areas, and a kitchenette for catering purposes. The resort is just five minutes’ drive from Rotorua Airport, making it the perfect location for a conference or corporate function.
New Attractions
Te Po is Te Puia’s new evening cultural experience – a feast of cultural storytelling, entertainment and indigenous Maori food. The experience includes an authentic hangi feast plus other indigenous delicacies and, to round off the evening, delegates can view the famous Pohutu geyser by night.
Kiwi Paka has come up with a great new teambuilding option – haka lessons. Launched in December 2008, it offers visitors the chance to dress in traditional Maori costume, complete with a temporary face moko, as local man Tiki Edwards conducts a 90 minute haka lesson.
If watersports appeal, then check out Watermania, a charter watersport company founded in September 2008 to cater for private and corporate clients. You can tackle everything from water-skiing to wakeboarding and knee boarding.
And for those who want to test their bush prowess, Kiwi Lumberjack offers a new ‘Logger of the Day’ option. Delegate teams can test their skills against each other in a range of logger sports including axe throwing, crosscut sawing, wood chopping and log rolling, or even pit themselves against a Kiwi Lumberjack team.
Local speaker Ngahi Bidois can also provide 
keynote speeches or workshops for your conference. A Maori teacher with international appeal, Ngahi shows audiences how to apply ancient wisdom from his culture to find modern solutions for personal, business and educational situations. A passionate and gifted speaker, Ngahi helps educational and business audiences develop leadership, productivity, motivation and inspiration.
Planning Your Rotorua Conference
Rotorua Convention Bureau has taken the hassle out of planning with a range of planners packed full of useful information. You’ll also find a comprehensive image library on the website dedicated to conferences and incentives.
Conference organisers who want to check out venues and products before choosing Rotorua as a venue can experience what the region has to offer through the bureau’s self-famil programme. The bureau will arrange three activities and one night’s accommodation free of charge and you can opt for an escorted or independent tour. Extensions and additional site inspections can be organised if required.
Useful Information
For more information phone (07) 349 7283 or email conventionbureau@rotoruanz.com
Editorial and images supplied courtesy of Rotorua Convention Bureau