Last week saw the successful launch of the Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE) AssociationX in Wellington, a brand new event for the association and non-for-profit sector.

The The Auckland Business Events Fund is now open for applications for business events to be held in the region through to 30 June 2024. Part of the Government’s $50 million Regional Events Fund, the Auckland Business Events Fund, aims to stimulate domestic tourism. Applications will be assessed on a range of impacts including social, cultural, economic, and environmental criteria.

The so-called “knowledge economy” facilitating informal information exchange during events is one of the silent sufferers of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Geoff Donaghy, CEO of Sydney’s International Convention Centre. Speaking to BEN last week, Donaghy while there were clearly tangible impacts on jobs and economic downturn pulverising the industry, also of concern was the lack of incidental encounters which come with in-person gatherings.

Communities have a wealth of knowledge and assets within themselves, which if understood and nurtured by practitioners and policymakers, has the potential to strengthen resilience and enable prevention-focused services

For those who are new to the industry, or not sure where to go for assistance or further information on running events and conferences during different levels, here is a link to the current information via each of the industry associations

In 2030 will we look back and wonder why, as a society, we ever let businesses produce, sell and distribute products without taking any responsibility for the environmental impacts once they left the factory gates? If you’re a conference or event organiser in Aotearoa New Zealand, what questions are you asking your suppliers to ensure future environmental stewardship?

Last year, we became experts in video calling, virtual conferencing, remote working, and health & safety. This year, we need to continue building capacity in our people to ensure they have the skills to tackle the significant challenges our events and conference sectors are facing in Aotearoa New Zealand.

While today's report 'Not 100% - but four steps closer to sustainable tourism' is new, the message is not. Tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand has created considerable environmental, social, and cultural pressures.

Reviewing and resetting our environmental impacts, working closer with communities and mana whenua, and financially investing in environmental mitigation will help ensure we have a sector that is viable and sustainable long term.