In late January, we enjoyed hosting ‘Legends in Concert’ our first ticketed live entertainment event to date. Our auditorium space hosted over 1,200 local attendees who enjoyed the performance, including a dedicated group from the Elvis NZ Club.
Legends in Concert featured tribute artists direct from Las Vegas who portrayed Elton John, Cher, Elvis Presley, Shania, and Adele who sung a variety of their biggest hits to a captivated audience. This touring show performed across many cities in Australia and New Zealand and included a live band, talented dancers, multimedia theatrical sets, and authentic costumes.
Our Live Entertainment Business Development Executive Amanda Young reflected on the night saying:
“It was fantastic to finally have the opportunity to host a public live performance in the Auditorium. This can be a difficult task due to our busy conference schedule and therefore January was the perfect opportunity to do so. It was a great feeling to open the doors for the local community to enjoy and experience our amazing Auditorium. This will be the first of many performances in this space and we look forward to adding to the existing live performance offering in Christchurch”.
ICCA Researcher of the Year Award for Te Pae Christchurch
5 March 2024
Erwin Matheeuwsen, Research Coordinator at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is honoured to be awarded the 2023 ICCA Researcher of the Year Award.
The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) is a global community and knowledge hub for the global association and governmental meetings industry. ICCA offers data, education, communication channels to the international meetings sector, as well as business development and networking opportunities.
Te Pae Christchurch Director of Business Development, Gillian Officer says “I am incredibly proud of this achievement for Erwin. He works incredibly hard to source lead-opportunities for Te Pae Christchurch; is well connected within the ICCA community and has made a significant impact in a short space of time. We’re off to an amazing start here at Te Pae Christchurch, achieving results in our first 18 months of operation that we were not expecting to achieve until year 10, and Erwin’s abilities as a researcher to generate quality leads for our team has been invaluable to this result”.
To recognise this year’s top ICCA Data Provider, ICCA announced “it gives us great pleasure to select Erwin Matheeuwsen as “ICCA Researcher of the Year 2023” for which he will receive a certificate, together with a sum of €500 to be put against any ICCA product.
The ICCA judges said “we appreciate Erwin’s cooperation to help contribute excellent meetings information to the ICCA database. We are confident he will be an inspiration for other members who are not yet using the database and its update functionality to their fullest potential.”
Erwin was thrilled to receive this award and believes that the ICCA Business Intelligence system is a very helpful and efficient tool for finding relevant international association conferences that have the potential to be hosted in New Zealand. The more organisations in our industry who contribute their meeting information to ICCA Business Intelligence, the more beneficial this data is for everyone, leading to better hosting opportunities for all.”
Erwin plans to utilise the prize money from his award toward attending the upcoming ICCA Skills Course being hosted in Christchurch, New Zealand from 10-12 September 2024. “In partnership with Tourism New Zealand Business Events and ChristchurchNZ, Te Pae Christchurch is hosting this highly regarded three-day ICCA course. I look forward to attending this training, which will be a great opportunity to brush up on my knowledge and meet others from the industry.”
Te Pae Christchurch achieves Toitū netcarbonzero status
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has been recognised as Toitū net carbonzero certified, reflecting the organisation’s ongoing commitment to leading the industry in world class sustainable operations.
Just one year after committing to the milestone – and almost two years in operation – Te Pae Christchurch has met Toitū Envirocare’s internationally-recognised standards of measuring, managing and reducing lifecycle emissions from its operation. From the design of the building and the use of renewable energy, through to the recovery and reuse of food waste and the installation of a chemical-free e-water system, Te Pae Christchurch has applied a broad range of sustainable solutions across its operation.
The achievement in the Toitū net carbonzero programme comes hard on the heels of Te Pae Christchurch’s win in 2023 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Awards (Community and Government Projects category) late last year. The awards recognise contributions, remarkable achievements, innovation, and best practices in sustainability and responsible tourism.
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre General Manager Ross Steele says achieving net carbonzero operations reinforces the organisation’s commitment to being a sustainability leader in the industry.
“We’re exceptionally proud of what we’ve achieved in a short time,” says Ross Steele. “The Toitū net carbonzero certification, in addition to the international recognition we have received, reflects the commitment and hard work of our entire team. Many of our sustainability initiatives are being led by Te Pae Christchurch team’s younger generation, which underscores our commitment to creating a positive long-term impact and a lasting sustainability legacy.”
Another key factor in minimising emissions is our local purchasing policy, which prioritises purchasing from local organisations (currently 85%). Analysis of freight on purchased goods as part of our emissions calculations showed this to be less than 1% of our total emissions, which is a significant result.
Mr Steele says Te Pae’s sustainability journey has been a vital focus for the organisation – even as it manages a record-breaking level of activity and interest.
“We’ve been serious about sustainability since we first began planning at Te Pae Christchurch,” Mr Steele says. “Being able to achieve these milestones through such a busy period demonstrates the level of focus we are placing on every stage of our sustainability journey. The science-led approach, guidance and support provided by Toitū Envirocare, Aotearoa New Zealand’s strongest environmental programme, has been an important part of that.”
The next stage for Te Pae Christchurch in building a culture of environmental excellence is finding ways to help both partners and clients achieve their own sustainability goals.
“We want to bring our clients and suppliers along with us on this journey, working with them to minimise the environmental impact of every event we hold, and through every stage of each activity.”
“As the last couple of years have demonstrated, people still want to meet face-to-face, share knowledge and experience first-hand what this amazing region has to offer,” says Mr Steele. “It is up to us, as leaders in the event industry, to constantly monitor and measure, to innovate and to demonstrate best practice, so they can have that experience in the most sustainable way possible.”
“In that way we’ll enable our city and our region to enjoy the significant benefits of a vibrant conference and events industry, while ensuring we leave our environment and our community in a better place for the future.”
EVANZ Awards for Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is honoured to have won two awards at the recent Entertainment Venues Association of New Zealand (EVANZ) Awards Dinner held in Dunedin.
Te Pae was awarded Medium Venue of the Year and Te Pae Christchurch Food and Beverage Operations Manager, Marzena Orlecka was awarded the EVANZ ‘Rising Star of the Year’.
Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said he is incredibly proud of these awards. “Te Pae Christchurch has made a significant impact in a short space of time thanks to our people, our community and our clients.”
The judges said “Te Pae Christchurch’s venue entry demonstrated clear strategic priorities including client success, business optimisation and innovation. It clearly expressed the value placed in its people and its role as a custodian of community and sustainability.”
Director of Event Services, Nicolette Elia accepted the Medium Venue of the Year Award and paid tribute to the Te Pae team. “I am immensely proud and honoured to accept this award on behalf of Te Pae Christchurch. We couldn’t have won this award without the Te Pae team’s hard work, commitment towards achieving our vision, and passion to deliver the best experience for our clients.”
The EVANZ Rising Star, Marzena Orlecka was honoured to receive her award, “It was so unexpected, especially with such strong nominees. I could not have achieved this accolade without the support of the wonderful Te Pae Christchurch team.”
Marzena leads a large Food and Beverage department, which manages the venue’s food service and logistics. She has quickly risen through the ranks due to her positive professional attitude, high quality standards and values of manaakitanga.
“In my many years of international experience, Marzena stands out as one of the hardest working individuals I have ever met. Marzena demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities and her focus on delivering a world-class culinary experience is remarkable,” Director of Culinary Services, Darren Tait said.
EVANZ General Manager Sally-Anne Coates said: “Today’s rising stars will one day lead our industry. The judges were very impressed with Marzena – clearly she is a highly valued member of the Te Pae team. The submission was full of examples highlighting her achievements and commitment to customer satisfaction.”
Te Pae Christchurch congratulates all EVANZ awards finalists for their amazing contribution to the New Zealand venue industry.
Date: 1 December November 2023 Media Contact: Mel Gurden, Te Pae Christchurch, Marketing and Communications Manager T: +64 21 190 2434 | E: [email protected]
EVANZ Awards 2023. Held at the Dunedin Town Hall on the 29th of November 2023. (Image by Joe Allison / Allison Images)
Te Pae Christchurch wins Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is honored to have been awarded the 2023 Skål International Sustainable Tourism Award in the Community and Government Projects category.
Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said he is incredibly proud of this international recognition. “This award is a credit to the entire Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre team and their commitment to foster a culture of environmental excellence.”
“Sustainability is a key operational pillar for Te Pae Christchurch and an area our whole team is passionate about. We view all significant decisions through an environmental lens and are driven to provide world class sustainable convention centre operations, creating meaningful change for future generations,” Mr Steele said.
The prestigious 2023 Skal International Sustainable Tourism Awards hosted a record number of 68 entries from 18 countries. Evaluated by an independent judging panel comprised of esteemed sustainability experts, this awards program has been held annually since 2002 and serves as a platform to give recognition to contributions, remarkable achievements, innovation, and best practices in sustainability and responsible tourism.
The Awards Ceremony took place at the Opening Ceremony of the 82nd Skål World Congress in Málaga, Spain on Thursday 2 November.
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has taken the next step in its sustainability journey, drafting an agreement with Toitū Envirocare as the Centre commits to reducing its environmental footprint.
The agreement is to join and work towards to being a certified Toitū net carbonzero organisation. This commitment underscores the seriousness with which the Centre is approaching its environmental obligations.
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre General Manager Ross Steele says committing to net CarbonZero operations is a clear indication of the Centre’s desire to lead by example and create meaningful change.
“For us, sustainability and sustainable operations go beyond just measuring waste and offsetting carbon emissions. It’s about legacy – what we leave behind for future generations, and how we instil values that will ensure we are not only environmentally sensitive but leading the way in this area for years to come.”
Mr Steele says with the Centre yet to complete its first year of operations, the focus is currently on the benchmarking phase. “It’s essential to get an accurate benchmark of operations to not just know where we are at, but where we need to head in the future.
“From here, we will turn our attention to achieving net carbonzero operations by the end of the next financial year,” Mr Steele says.
“The goal will then be to bring clients and suppliers along on the journey and look at ways to work with them to minimise the impact of the events we host – something we are well supported in with Ōtautahi Christchurch’s own commitment to reaching net zero emissions.”
ChristchurchNZ Head of Business Events, Megan Crum says the destination’s guiding principle is ‘Small Footprint – Big Impression’.
As the region’s economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ has a big part to play in helping to foster and promote sustainability initiatives. “Among the many actions underway for the business events space this year will be delivering a comprehensive Business Events Sustainability Framework for Christchurch, doing our bit to help achieve the target to halve the city’s emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2045,” she says.
When looking at partners to assist the Centre in its journey to carbonzero, Toitū Envirocare was the obvious choice, Mr Steele says.
Not only a long-standing Te Pae Christchurch partner, the Toitū carbon programmes are also the only ones in New Zealand certified under the ISO 14064 standard (organisation) and ISO 14067 standard (product) by the JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System for Australia and New Zealand), meaning they are internationally recognised.
“Toitū has been an invaluable part of our journey to date. The guidance and support they have provided us since 2020 in their capacity as New Zealand’s strongest environmental programme has set us up well to take this next step. “The fact their programmes take a science-based approach also gives us the confidence to aim high and set big goals in this area.”
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre has exceeded all expectations for its opening year.
Despite only being operational for seven months due to covid settings earlier in the year, the Centre has more than compensated for its slower than expected start, hosting more than 180 events during that time.
Of those, 62 were multi-day conferences, 66 banquets, several exhibitions, one live entertainment event and the remainder smaller meetings and seminars.
Those events have brought more than 60,000 people into the city and contributed close to $45 million to the local economy.
Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said since restrictions eased in April the team had been incredibly busy.
“There’s been a real pent-up demand for Christchurch as a business events destination. The number of events has just blown us away – we’ve really hit the ground running.”
While the Centre had welcomed several international events through the doors, Mr Steele said it had also been wonderful to have the support of a large number of national and local businesses and associations.
“The support from the domestic market has been really humbling, particularly coming off the back of covid,” he said.
Alongside the direct economic impact generated from the year’s events, Mr Steele said the team were proud to see the Centre making a difference in other ways, such as business growth for the Centre’s neighbours.
Ashleigh Robertson, Marketing Coordinator for Inkster Company, which operates OGB among others, said OGB had seen drastic change since Te Pae Christchurch opened.
“We are just getting people through the door – and a lot of people through the door. And there’s definitely plenty of lanyards – it’s an obvious corporate crew. The target market has been great for us,” she said.
“Monday now, because it seems to be a quite popular conference day, is one of our biggest days, often beating Sunday, which is pretty wild.”
The Centre’s suppliers have also noticed an uptick in business as a result of the busy events calendar. Exhibition Hire Service’s Christchurch Branch Manager, Nicola Ransome said Te Pae Christchurch had been massive for the business.
“I would say it has quadrupled our workload. We’ve got to the point where we’re having to buy more vehicles and employ double the number of staff, just to be able to service the events that have been happening in there. So, it’s been absolutely huge, she said.
“It has enabled us to be able to upskill our staff. The types of jobs that go in there, there’s a lot more involved….we’ve literally now just found the time to be able to recruit for next year. So, we’ve just employed four more guys. We will be training up over the next few months and we’re going to be looking to expand our sales and coordination team next year as well, which we just wouldn’t have been able to do without Te Pae.”
Mr Steele said Te Pae Christchurch’s future remains bright, as the Centre heads into the new year with a solid events calendar.
Award Win Signals ‘Brighter Future’ for Te Pae Christchurch
17 November 2022
Te Pae Christchurch has taken home the award for Exceptional Achievement in Environmental Management at the Toitū Brighter Future Awards.
Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said the win was a credit to the whole Te Pae team and their commitment and continued efforts to foster a culture of environmental excellence.
“We have set ourselves some lofty environmental and operational goals to achieve, and it is through every one of our team doing their part that we have been able to achieve this milestone.”
The win comes just six months after the Centre began operations, although the planning has been years in the making for the Te Pae Christchurch team with sustainability management a significant focus during the Centre’s pre-opening period.
“With venue sustainability a high priority for clients, it was important that we aligned with New Zealand’s strongest environmental programme,” Mr Steele said.
“The insights and guidance the Toitū team have provided us over the years through our pre-opening and now opening periods have been invaluable.
“While sustainable operations have always been a key focus for us, the process has been a great way to get every department thinking about what they do and the impact they have, and to proactively review and adjust progress against our goals,” he said. The Toitū Brighter Future Awards acknowledge Toitū certified businesses that are leading the way in environmental sustainability. The criteria for the awards is centred around demonstrating impact, and the finalists are required to scientifically prove to be making a positive difference to the world around them.
Following the success of its July Community Day, Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre is throwing open the doors again to Cantabrians on Sunday 4 December.
Visitors to the Centre will be able to visit any time from 10.30am to 3.30pm, with the last entry being 3pm.
Te Pae Christchurch General Manager Ross Steele said the team had been blown away by the public’s support during the last event.
“It was fantastic to have so many members of the public through the Centre during our community day in July. We’re regularly asked when people can come back through so we have decided to stage another community event prior to Christmas,” he said.
While this will also be a self-guided tour through the Centre’s key function areas, including the Auditorium and Exhibition Halls, the event will not be ticketed this time.
As with previous event, the community day will also showcase some of the Centre’s community partnerships.
Sign Up, Join In, Get Active – New Event Launching in February 2023
2 November 2022
Game On Canterbury, a new fixture aimed at encouraging more Cantabrians into sport and active recreation activities will host its inaugural event at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre on Sunday 19 February 2023.
With a variety of sport and active recreation providers already confirmed, the focus of the free whānau event will be on providing a fun, interactive and inclusive day, with plenty of opportunities to try new things and discover what’s on offer in Canterbury.
Te Pae Christchurch has partnered with Serious Fun Limited to host the event – the first of its kind for Ōtautahi Christchurch. Sport Canterbury has come onboard as the Principal Sponsor.
Te Pae Christchurch Director of Event Services Nicolette Elia said the Te Pae Christchurch team was excited to host an event that would benefit the community.
“Ōtautahi Christchurch is well known as a great city for sport and the outdoors, so we are looking forward to providing local residents of all ages and abilities with a fun, interactive one-stop shop where they can learn about the sport and active recreation opportunities that are available, and then sign up, join in and get active.”
Sport Canterbury General Manager Participation Pathways Jason Merrett said the organisation was excited to assist the local community in finding opportunities to be more active more often.
“The array of organisations, clubs and groups means there will be something for everyone. We look forward to supporting our community in finding the physical activity opportunity that works for them.”
More than 40 community and recreation groups have expressed interest in participating in the event, with the following confirmed to attend: Mainland Football, Christchurch Netball, Canterbury Rugby, Special Friends Sports Trust, Tri Rugby, The Halberg Foundation, Badminton Canterbury, Canterbury Cricket, Rugby League Canterbury, Table Tennis Canterbury, Canterbury Triathlon, Canterbury Ultimate Frisbee, Women in Sport Waitaha, Canterbury Handball and Canterbury Baseball.
The full event schedule will be released closer to the event, but being the inaugural event exhibitors were being encouraged to be as creative as possible.
Any sport or active recreation providers who want to be involved can head to the website for more information, while attendees can keep an eye out for more information on the Game On Canterbury website (www.gameoncanterbury.co.nz) and Facebook event page.
