QUEENSTOWN IS GEARING UP FOR THE TRADESHOW season with a successful roadshow and a visit from a group of high end incentive organisers behind it. STORY BY NATALIE AKOORIE

Arguably New Zealand’s most famous destination, Queenstown is only getting busier in the conference and incentive market, if the past couple of months are anything to go by. In early April Destination Queenstown Convention Bureau manager Lee Picken hosted a high end incentive familiarisation visit of six American buyers. Ms Picken said the two-day visit was quite a coup and very important for the region and its business tourism industry.

The group was shown “the best of everything” including helicopter flights and luxurious stays at the five-star Sofitel. Following this the bureau headed to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane to catch up informally with key Australian contacts during a quick four-day visit. Then in late April, Destination Queenstown, together with a staggering 29 operators, took Queenstown to Auckland and Wellington in a domestic roadshow.

The evening functions were held in Wellington on April 26 at The Loaded Hog and in Auckland the next evening at new bar Bluestone Room in Durham Lane. Ms Picken said such a large number of operators participating in the roadshow gives an indication of how seriously the region takes the conference and incentive market.

“It (C&I) is really on the uptake and people are seeing this is the type of market they need to get into. It’s not just one per cent of their business anymore, it’s more. While it’s still small it has high yield and people want to get into it,” she said. Next on the agenda for Queenstown is the Asia-Pacific Incentive and Meetings Expo in Melbourne on June 6 and 7 followed closely by MEETINGS 2006 in Christchurch on July 19 and 20.

While AIME has only attracted five Queenstown venues and operators, MEETINGS will feature 26 of the region’s products and services. “It’s our biggest ever (MEETINGS). Everybody realises they have to be there. We’re taking over the whole top floor of the venue. We’ve got so much to do because we’ve got such a big space so we’re going to theme it.” Ms Picken said the upcoming months are looking particularly full and busy for the region. “The next six months are big for Queenstown and everyone is really behind the bureau so it’s all positive.”

She said queries about the region received through the internet are increasing all the time, while new product was helping to attract business too. The $12 million refurbishment of the Crowne Plaza is just one example and the hotel’s brand new bar and restaurant area was officially opened on April 5, with just the façade to be completed at that stage.

For more information about Queenstown’s C&I capabilities contact the bureau on (03) 441 0700.

MEET, EAT AND SLEEP

Crowne Plaza Queenstown
Fresh from the completion of its $12 million refurbishment, the four-star Crowne Plaza Queenstown features 139 guest rooms including one suite, many with views of The Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Just a minute’s walk to the town centre, the Crowne Plaza features three conference rooms and a boardroom, all with natural light and views. The biggest room can hold 150 banquet-style. The property’s new signature restaurant is ThreeSixty, while other new public areas include the addition of an impressive bar area, martini lounge and ski bar. For more information telephone (03) 442 7800, email meetings@crowneplazaqueenstown.co.nz or visit www.crowneplazaqueenstown.co.nz

Sofitel Queenstown
Sofitel Queenstown is the first international five-star hotel in Queenstown, completed to the highest European standards. Featuring 82 elegantly appointed guest rooms, superb restaurants and bars and a day spa, this boutique hotel is located close to all of Queenstown’s major attractions and is surrounded by retail shops, restaurants and nightclubs. A technically advanced boardroom provides meeting space for 32 delegates. For more information telephone (03) 450 0045, email reservations@ sofitelqueenstown.com or visit www.accorhotels.co.nz

Skyline Gondola, Restaurant & Luge
Located an easy five-minute walk from central Queenstown and exclusively accessed by scenic cableway, Skyline Gondola, Resturant & Luge sits high above town and features a restaurant, café, licensed bar, Kiwi Haka Maori cultural show, souvenir shop, two luge tracks and extensive private function facilities. Four rooms can cater for up to 350 guests and offer the best views in the region with 220 degree panorama sights and observation decks looking across Lake Wakatipu and up to The Remarkables. For more information telephone (03) 441 0858 or visit www.skyline.co.nz.

Mercure Grand Hotel St Moritz
Epitomising style and grandeur, the Mercure Grand Hotel St Moritz overlooks Queenstown and beyond to The Remarkables. The hotel features 69 deluxe studio rooms, 72 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments. The Library functions as the property’s meeting room and is well suited to intimate boardroom style meetings. In 2004 the hotel opened a second meeting room. For more information telephone (03) 442 4990, email reservations@stmoritzmg.co.nz or visit www.mercurestmoritz.nz-hotels.com.

Millbrook Resort
Surrounded by spectacular vistas, Millbrook Resort’s tranquil atmosphere belies its ability to sleep 400 guests, spread across village inn, hotel villas, villa suites, and cottages. Conference facilities include Millhouse, which can cater to 110 banquet-style, the Hole in One, a space designed for cocktails which holds up to 80, the Clubhouse Restaurant which can hold 60 for a sit-down dinner and marquees are available in summer months and can cater for 150 banquet-style. For more information telephone (03) 441 7007, email marketing@millbrook.co.nz or visit www.millbrook.co.nz.

MUST SEE AND DO

Over The Top Helicopters
Over The Top specialises in helicopter tours throughout Queenstown, Fiordland and surrounds including Queenstown scenic flights, glacier landings, trips to Milford and Doubtful Sound, Dart River jet boating links, Eco tours, heli skiing, ski field transfers and fly-fishing trips. The company is headed by renowned pilot Louisa (Choppy) Patterson who ensures a safe and memorable journey into New Zealand’s mountain wilderness. For more information telephone (03) 442 2233, or visit www.flynz.co.nz.

The Rungway
The Rungway is the southern hemisphere’s first and only Via Ferrata system featuring 12 routes of varying lengths and difficulty which snake their way up the cliffs of the majestic Queenstown Hill. Each route is expertly equipped with fixed rung and cable systems making it quite a different experience to rock climbing. All the gear and equipment is provided along with a guide who instructs participants on how to use the system of karabiners, rungs and wires to help ascend the rock and cliff faces. Along the way, enjoy the stunning views. For more information telephone Mary Todd on 027 477 9393, or visit www.rungway.co.nz.

Nomad Safaris
Nomad Safaris offer small, personalised tours into back country New Zealand, exploring historic gold mining areas and some of the Lord of the Rings locations. The company uses fullyequipped Land Rovers to handle all terrain. Tours run morning and afternoon and use exceptional nature and heritage guides. As well as 4WD tours Nomad Safaris offers quad-biking experiences over farmland with outstanding views from the top of Queenstown Hill. For more information telephone (03) 442 6699, email offroad@nomadsafaris.co.nz or visit www.nomadsafaris.co.nz.

Jet boating Between Kawarau Jet and Shotover Jet, there’s plenty of exciting jet boating action to choose from in Queenstown. Kawarau Jet offers Queenstown’s largest jet boat capacity on the Kawarau and Shotover Rivers with the ability to move more than 150 people at once. Rides start and finish from the company’s jetty on Lake Wakatipu in the middle of town and involve hair-raising spins, thrilling speeds and beautiful scenery. For more information telephone (03) 409 0049 or visit www.kjet.co.nz. For details on Shotover Jet visit www.shotoverjet.com.

Sailing
Previously reserved only for the elite and professional sailors, this authentic America’s Cup yacht NZL 14 offers a truly unique opportunity for anyone to experience a New Zealand sailing icon first-hand. Kitted out with full safety gear, passengers become crew as grinders are put into action, sails hoisted and the streamlined racing machine kicks into gear on Lake Wakatipu. Passengers can participate at will or sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. For more information telephone Anya Graham on 027 441 5511, email anya@sailqueenstown.co.nz or visit www.sailqueenstown.co.nz

Mountain biking
Mountain biking in Queenstown with Fat Tyre Adventures Ltd offers the best guided single track, cross country and free ride mountain biking over some of the most scenic mountain biking trails in New Zealand. Fat Tyre Adventures will guide you on one-day or multi-day mountain bike tours, with options from heli biking to a picnic ride. With more than 20 trails to choose from, rides and tours are tailored to suit the individual or group. For more information telephone Greg McIntyre on 027 226 2822, email greg@fat-tyre.co.nz or visit www.fat-tyre.co.nz

Secrets of Bungy Tour
The Secrets Behind Bungy Tour is an informative 45-minute interactive guided tour where participants will discover the origins and history of bungy through cinema, learn how a bungy cord is made, gain exclusive access to parts of the bungy viewing deck to watch jumpers and learn the secrets behind this unusual activity. Located within the Kawarau Bungy Centre, some 40 per cent of participants are convinced by the end to do a bungy. For more information telephone (03) 450 0561, email wade@ajhackett.co.nz or visit www.ajhackett.com