Bid Assistance

Have you ever attended an international convention and wanted to bring that convention to New Zealand? Have you thought of the value you could derive from doing so?

The benefits of hosting in New Zealand

  • Opportunities for attendees to network
  • Knowledge sharing and educational opportunities
  • Increased recognition for your organisation
  • Financial gain from a well-attended and successful event

Watch our video about hosting your next conference in New Zealand

When Tourism New Zealand can help

TNZ's Conference Assistance Programme (CAP) is available to any internationally-affiliated association or organisation that wants to bid to host an international conference in New Zealand. Any organisation's bid must include  a minimum of 200 international delegates to be eligible for this programme.

The Conference Assistance Programme can assist with:

  • Fund and coordinate site visits including venues, hotels, social activities and attractions.
  • Funding a New Zealand Professional Conference Organiser to prepare a financial feasibility study, based on your city and venue choice. 
  • Professional documents and presentations to set your bid apart. 
  • The costs of presenting your bid, including international travel.
  • Marketing materials, destination brochures, fact sheets, pre and post itineraries, imagery and moving footage to attract delegates.

Conference Assistance Programme application form

If your association could benefit from the Conference Assistance Programme, please contact Alexa Bennett or get started by completing the online CAP application form.

View CAP Application Form

  • Tourism New Zealand was a pleasure to work....From coordinating our attendance at Meetings in 2013 in Auckland, to hosting a famil to Wellington, they facilitated the meeting of new suppliers, venues and concepts for pre and post conference touring itineraries (which many of our touring delegates took up). Tourism New Zealand especially assisted in the marketing of New Zealand as a destination, which I have no doubt maximised the numbers of international delegates to the conferences. They were also a good source of advice on New Zealand taxation changes as they relate to international business meetings.

    David Leach
    Conference & Events Manager
    Australian Institute of Radiography

  • When bidding for the conference, we were up against tough competition from Japan and Canada- one of the reasons we prevailed was because of the professionalism lent to our bid through our collaboration with Tourism New Zealand.

    Professor Lloyd Spencer Davis The Public Communication of Science and Technology Conference, Dunedin 2018

  • The Conference Assistance Programme gave me the advantage I needed to entice speakers and delegates to travel from around the world to my conference in Wellington, New Zealand. Their expertise added a high-end professional presentation to my proposals that conveyed the conference and country.

    Joshua Waihi
    DrupalSouth, Wellington 2014

  • I could not be happier with the help I received from Tourism New Zealand and the Conference Assistance Programme. The team was very positive and encouraging from the start. My initial application was approved within 24 hours and I feel the materials provided were absolutely instrumental in winning the CHRO 2015 conference for New Zealand – in our very first bid! Their continued support in helping to promote the conference is greatly appreciated and very effective. Thank you!

    Dr Stephen On, Chief Scientist
    International Workshop on Campylobacter, Helicobacter and Related Organisms (CHRO)
    Rotorua 2015