On 28 May 2019, Executive PA Media was invited to the Auckland Famil, hosted by Auckland Convention Bureau as a part of Conferences and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ) Meetings 2019 programme.
The day was spent discovering New Zealand’s largest city, with showcases of it’s key venues, ‘hidden gems’ and suppliers that can all work with EAs to help design a uniquely ‘Auckland’ event.
On a drizzly morning the group of over 100 delegates were welcomed inside the Pullman Auckland’s Regatta room, where The Events Group broke the ice with a team building activity. The exercise was filled with challenges and quirky adventures that got the large group working together, and getting to know one another.
Afterwards, the crew was shuttled across to the brand-new event space, Glasshouse, where guests enjoyed a lavish high tea, with gourmet food, tea & coffee, and live music to help the group refresh and recharge before heading off to explore another one of Auckland’s ‘hidden gems’.
A 20-minute cruise through the suburbs of Auckland led to a unique spot in the industrial outskirts of the city. The group was ushered into a real, live working television studio, Whoa! Studios.
Here the group was treated to a gourmet lunch on the set of popular New Zealand children’s show, Custards World. The dynamic space set the stage for conversation over a gourmet steak lunch and cocktails.
Here, Prue Daily, Director of Sales at New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC), announced the centre’s opening date as October 2020. The NZICC is set to be the only “carbon neutral” convention centre in Asia Pacific.
After lunch, the crew was bussed back into town to explore the day’s final venue showcase at Shed 10, a revitalised shipping building that has been repurposed into an adaptable event and function space.
With a brief respite back at the hotel, delegates were shipped off to the official opening ceremony of the show, at the newly-refurbished (not an understatement, the room was finished the day before), Aotea Centre. Here, Sue Sullivan, Chief Executive of CINZ welcomed the delegates and suppliers, alongside a moving welcome from traditional Maori elders.
