New Zealand convention centres

nelson convention bureau •
news from nelson

Autumn 2008

kia ora from the bureau desk

One of Nelson's key selling points as a conference destination is access. There are on average 2500 air seats in and out of Nelson Airport every day, making it the country's fourth busiest commercial airport.

But how does this help you? I thought I'd put Nelson to the test by seeing how early conference organisers can get delegates here from Air New Zealand's 23 domestic departure points. Read below for the results.

Speaking of getting on the move, Nelson and Marlborough will be visiting Auckland next month for a trade function at the Grand Tea Room at Heritage Hotel - read on for details.

This issue we also welcome some new faces and products to the Nelson Tasman conference industry, as well as farewell two lovely people who have been deeply involved for almost a decade.

Hei kono mai,

Angela

pictured: the view from the bureau desk

date for aucklanders' diaries      

Sweet As, an expo of Nelson Marlborough conference and activity product, will be held in Auckland on April 9, 4-6pm at the Heritage Hotel's Grand Tea Room.

The Top of the South is all about the good things in life, so join us for a glass of wine and be in to win a taste of our place thanks to the Nelson Marlborough chocolate wheel.

Exhibitors will include:

Nelson: Nelson Convention Bureau, Awaroa Lodge, Monaco Hotel & Resort, Wilsons Abel Tasman, Bay Tours, Happy Valley Adventures, WOW & Classic Cars Museum, Rutherford Hotel Nelson - a Heritage Hotel, Shelbourne Villa and Simply Wild.

Marlborough: Marlborough Convention Centre, Marlborough Vintners Hotel, Wilderness Guides, Raetihi Lodge, Marlborough Travel, Windhawk Helicopters, Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre, The Portage Resort Hotel.

If you haven't received your invite and would like to attend, email meet@NelsonNZ.com.

time flies      

Did you know you can fly delegates from 19 airports throughout the country for a 10am start in Nelson!?

One of the most troublesome aspects of organising events with delegates from throughout the country is that extra night they might have to stay beforehand. For businesses this is an extra expense in staff time and accommodation, and for associations an extra night may be the deciding factor in whether or not a delegate can afford to attend.

There are five direct routes into Nelson Airport, which is the fourth busiest in the country. A test of a randomly selected weekday in October shows you can fly into Nelson from the following places by 9.45am: Auckland, Christchurch,Gisborne, Hamilton, Hokitika, Invercargill, Kerikeri, Napier/Hastings, New Plymouth, Oamaru, Palmerston North, Rotorua, Taupo, Tauranga, Timaru, Wanganui, Wellington, Whakatane and Whangarei.

With five conference and meeting venues within 5-10 minutes' drive from the airport, your delegates could be onsite for a 10am start.

In fact there are only four places Air New Zealand flies from that you can't get to Nelson for a 10am start from: Kaitaia, Queenstown, Wanaka and Westport.

You can also get here from seven places for a 9am start: Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton, Napier/Hastings and Taupo.

Don't believe me? Test it yourself.

team building with the wow factor      

Nelson PCO onCue has introduced a new team building product with the wow factor.

Starting with a visit to the World of WearableArt & Classic Car Museum, the Creative Spirits challenge sees teams then given a brief and box of raw materials to work toward their own design.

Garments can be showcased in your own catwalk show or at a gala dinner at the WOW & CC Museum - Nelson's premier evening function venue.

For more information contact onCue on 03 546 6338; info@on-cue.co.nz or visit their website.

hot deals for winter      

The Rutherford Hotel Nelson - a Heritage Hotel is currently offering up to 15% off its low season rate for conference accommodation bookings made for June-August 2008.

To find out more information contact Conference & Events Manager Tracy Bezzant by emailing tracy.bezzant@rutherfordhotel.co.nz

new conference manager for rutherford      

The Nelson Convention Bureau would like to welcome Tracy Bezzant, who has joined the Rutherford Hotel - a Heritage Hotel as Conference & Events Manager.

Originally from the UK, Tracy has studied international tourism, worked on superyachts travelling the world, and as a music events coordinator in the broadcast industry.

She moved to Nelson from Queenstown, where she worked in sales and marketing for Nomad Safaris.

The Rutherford Hotel caters for groups of up to 400 and has five different meeting rooms. Contact Tracy on tracy.bezzant@rutherfordhotel.co.nz for information or a quote.

it's play time      

The Playhouse cafe & theatre restaurant is the latest evening function venue to open in Nelson Tasman.

The Playhouse opened in December and caters for groups of 20-120.

With a regular programme of live music, live theatre, themed nights and theatre sports,  the Playhouse is the ideal venue for off-site dinners, partner lunches and gala dinners.

The Playhouse works closely with Theatre Alive to offer fantastic dinner theatre packages.

temporary closure for vineyard venue      

After almost a decade of looking after the very busy function, conference and meetings schedule at Seifried Vineyard Restaurant and Function Centre, René Habets and Alice Stoffel will move on at the end of this month.

René and Alice will head on a well deserved travel break, and the venue will close temporarily while the facility is on the market.

Seifried Vineyard owner Agnes Seifried says it is hoped new owners will come on board shortly to reopen the facilities in late winter or early spring.

"We have had a lot of interest but I think the size and amount of work is a bit overwhelming for some so we've made the decision to close until the right people come along."

The Seifried Restaurant and Function Centre is one of Nelson Tasman's most established and most popular conference and function venues, catering to groups of up to 250.

Agnes says the René & Alice will be sorely missed and "leave big shoes to fill", but their departure also opens up an opportunity for new owners to inject their own flavour into the venue.