WellingtonNZ.com,
New Zealand 

Andrea Werner has been appointed to the new Business Development Manager role. The position is Sydney-based.

Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT), Positively Wellington Venues (PWV) and Te Papa have partnered to establish a new Business Development Manager position in a bid to drive trans-Tasman business to the capital.

PWT Chief Executive David Perks says while both leisure and business visitation from across the ditch is going from strength-to-strength, figures show the conventions and incentives (C&I) market is still ‘ripe for the picking’.

According to the Ministry of Economic Development International Visitor Arrival figures, Wellington saw a 13.4% increase in Australian visitors signalling a conference as their main reason to visit in the year to July, compared to a national growth of 9.7%.

“But we’re still talking pretty small numbers – about 4600 people across the year,” Mr Perks says. “Currently only around 5% of our conventions-based room nights are from the Australian market; we want to raise this to 15% within three years to in excess of 28,000 room nights per year.”

This would increase the estimated value of the Australian C&I market to Wellington from $4.37 million to $7 million – a surge of 60%.

Sydney-based Business Development Manager Andrea Werner has been tasked with helping reach the lofty target, and will start working for the Wellington Convention Bureau 30 hours a week from October 3. Originally from New Zealand, Andrea has extensive experience in the C&I market from working with Focus New Zealand, Shoal Bay Resort and Spa and Four Seasons (Regent Hotels). She will provide professional conference organisers (PCOs) and association, corporate and incentive clients in Australia support to make it easy to choose Wellington for their next business event.

Glenys Coughlan, Chief Executive of Positively Wellington Venues, says having just integrated six of the city’s best venues under the new umbrella makes now the perfect time for the new partner initiative.
“With additional air capacity on the Tasman and the strength of the Australian dollar, we think the time is right to invest in growing the market. This new partnership will build on the Wellington Convention Bureau’s existing work programme, bringing increased business across the city’s convention sector.”

The climate of increased trans-Tasman capacity and currency conditions represents an opportunity for venues like Te Papa to continue their growth, says Andrew Dorrington, Manager Hospitality at Te Papa.

“Currently Australian-based organisations account for up to 10 percent of our business, and we aspire to double that over the coming 18 months.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

Positively Wellington Tourism (PWT)
PWT is the regional tourism organisation for Wellington. It is a council-controlled organisation primarily funded by Wellington City Council through the Downtown Levy, a targeted rate paid by commercial ratepayers in downtown Wellington.
Wellington Tourism statistics
• Visitors spend over $2200 in the Wellington region per minute - $1.2 billion every year. (Source: Ministry of Economic Development Regional Tourism Data).
• Over four million visits are made to Wellington every year: 750,000 international and over 3.4 million domestic. (Source: Ministry of Economic Development Regional Tourism Data).

Positively Wellington Venues (PWV)
PWV was established as a new Council Controlled Trading Organisation (CCTO) in February 2011. It is responsible for the management of The Wellington Town Hall, Michael Fowler Centre, TSB Bank Arena, Shed 6, St James Theatre and Opera House.

10 Reasons There’s No Place Like Wellington for trans-Tasman Conferences & Incentive Events:

1. Easy and direct access from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.. just enough time for a movie and a tipple.
2. It's just a fifteen minute drive from Wellington Airport to the heart of the city.
3. Our compact central business district makes walking between the city’s venues and hotels a breeze.
4. Wellington’s home to a fabulous range of unique venues and operators who know how to deliver memorable experiences.
5. Extensive choice of quality, well-located accommodation; from globally branded business hotels to boutique properties.
6. The ‘coolest little capital in the world’ is renowned for world class culture, cuisine and nightlife.
7. Plenty of activity options, from passive to high adrenalin; ranging from The Lord of the Rings tours to the superlative Boomrock.
8. Wellington is tucked between two of New Zealand’s finest wine regions - Wairarapa and Marlborough.
9. Buying power - the Australian dollar buys so much more over here.
10. Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011 labelled the ‘coolest little capital in the world’ 4th best city in the world to visit this year for good reason.