Wellington wins ISOCARP World Planning Congress in 2027

Around 500 city planners, policymakers, researchers, and urban innovators are expected to attend the world congress, which will take place at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, 27-30 April 2027.

The event will be hosted by Wellington City Council, with support from Business Events Wellington and Tourism New Zealand Business Events. It is expected to inject nearly $975,000 into the local economy.

Elisabeth Belpaire, President of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), says: “New Zealand offers a globally significant vantage point from which to rethink the future of cities and regions.

“At a time of accelerating biodiversity loss, climate change, social and geopolitical uncertainty, hosting the 62nd ISOCARP World Planning Congress in Wellington places the Pacific at the centre of the conversation - where questions of resilience, regeneration, indigenous knowledge, and spatial equity are not abstract, but lived realities. This is precisely the kind of grounded, forward-looking context that the global planning community must engage with now.”

She notes that New Zealand’s commitment to incorporating Te Ao Māori perspectives into planning and governance, as well as Wellington’s civic culture, also played significant roles in the destination choice.

ISOCARP board director (Congresses and Events) Dr Greg Mews adds: “Wellington becomes more than a backdrop; it becomes a living laboratory for integrated planning practices. The city’s scale enables excellent proximity between decision-makers, practitioners, and communities to shift the dial toward regenerative practices.

“Hosting the Congress in Wellington lets us connect global insights with place-based and life-centred innovations, showing how cities and regions can respond to complexity with agility, care, and imagination.”

Wellington City Mayor Andrew Little welcomed the news that such an important gathering of city planners would take place in the capital.

“It’s exciting to welcome this global congress of city planners to the Capital in 2027, where bold ideas and local innovation come together to shape cities for the future.”

Business Events Wellington Manager Loryn Blaikie says the congress will position the city as a hub for innovation in urban development.

“Hosting ISOCARP will showcase Wellington as a leading city for urban planning, sustainability and liveability, while strengthening New Zealand’s voice and reputation within the city planning community.”

Find out more about planning a conference in Wellington

About ISOCARP

ISOCARP is a members-led global organisation with over 700 individual and institutional members from over 90 countries with the vision of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Non-governmental public benefit organisation accredited with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), with registered Observer status with UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), member of Habitat Professionals Forum (HPF) and Global Planners Network (GPN).

The objectives of ISOCARP include improving planning practice through the creation of a truly global and active network of planners. ISOCARP provides thought leadership, shaping the narrative and future of planning and the planning profession with a cutting edge.

Date published: 21 May 2026