Source: Radio New Zealand
TRENZ 2026 is kicking off at the New Zealand International Convention Centre in Auckland. RNZ / Tess Brunton
The tourism industry is hopeful an influx of international travel buyers will spark millions of dollars in new business.
TRENZ, the country’s largest international tourism business event, is underway in Auckland.
More than 370 overseas travel buyers will meet with tourism operators from across the motu this week, showcasing the variety of visitor experience New Zealand has to offer.
Recent Stats NZ figures show visitor arrivals totalled nearly 360,000 in March, up close to 15 percent from March 2025.
But fuel prices have rocketed this year due to the conflict in the Middle East, causing airlines to cut capacity.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief executive Rebecca Ingram said this TRENZ aimed to boost the industry’s visibility on the international stage and create connections with buyers from around the world.
“We have more buyers this year than any time since 2019; they will attend over 16,000 meetings over the course of TRENZ, creating millions of dollars of new business for the industry,” she said.
“TRENZ is the platform that elevates our tourism industry to the world, ensuring that New Zealand is competitive and well represented on the global tourism stage.
“TRENZ is also expected to generate at least $3 million of new spend in Auckland this week.”
The event is organised by Tourism Industry Aotearoa on behalf of the Tourism Industry New Zealand Trust.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/20/tourism-industry-hopes-to-woo-international-travel-buyers-at-trenz-2026-trade-event/