TRENZ has wrapped for 2026 in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, with Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) confirming Ōtautahi Christchurch and Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre as the host venue for the 2027 edition from 11 to 13 May.
TRENZ27 will mark the fourth time New Zealand’s largest tourism trade show has been hosted in Ōtautahi Christchurch, and the second outing at Te Pae since the purpose-built venue opened in 2021.
For Australian travel sellers, the southern shift firmly lands TRENZ in the 2027 diary. The annual buyer-seller marketplace is where international buyers meet New Zealand operators to contract product for the year ahead, and Australia consistently sits as New Zealand’s largest inbound source market.
More than 1.5 million Australians travelled to New Zealand in 2025, up 10 per cent year-on-year, with the Aussie share of inbound at 44 per cent and climbing.
The 2026 edition of TRENZ wrapped this week at the NZ International Convention Centre in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, the trade show’s first Auckland outing in nine years, with TIA pointing to record meeting volumes, the debut of an International Media Marketplace, and a Whakapiki theme of elevating New Zealand tourism to the world.
“TRENZ 2026 has seen 1,200 delegates hold a massive 16,000 business meetings over 2.5 days; doing good business and driving tourism export growth for future years,” TIA chief executive Rebecca Ingram said.
Ingram credited the NZICC venue and event partners, Tataki Auckland Unlimited, Tourism New Zealand, and Air New Zealand, for the Auckland edition’s smooth run, and pointed to the new International Media Marketplace (IMM) as a step up for the format.
Why Christchurch TRENZ is back for 2027
The southern move follows a bumper summer for the South Island’s gateway city, and a fresh wave of trans-Tasman airlift, including Air New Zealand’s restart of three South Island routes from Perth, announced at TRENZ26.
TIA cited 287,000 international visitors arriving via Christchurch Airport between November 2025 and March 2026, up 22 per cent year-on-year and pumping an estimated NZ$860 million into the South Island economy.
“Ōtautahi Christchurch is a modern, vibrant and exciting city and a top-shelf destination for international visitors,” Ingram said.
“Christchurch is a growing tourism force that has so much to offer visitors across the wider Canterbury region, so it’s fitting that TRENZ will be held there in 2027.”
The 2027 outing returns to a venue TRENZ first used in 2023. ChristchurchNZ general manager, visitor economy, Anne Newman, said the city has continued to build on that platform.
“Building on the strong platform showcased in 2023, the city has continued to evolve, with new infrastructure, visitor experiences and accommodation enhancing the visitor offering,” Newman said.
“There’s a real buzz in Ōtautahi, and we’re looking forward to sharing that energy with the travel trade and our industry partners.”
Read our TRENZ26 coverage:
- TRENZ26: Nine years on, Auckland reclaims the trade’s biggest stage
- TRENZ26: Auckland has its mojo back as 1.5 million+ Aussies lift New Zealand tourism
- Perth-Christchurch comeback: Air New Zealand restarts three South Island routes
- TRENZ26: TIA Chief Rebecca Ingram on why Aussies are flocking to New Zealand
TRENZ is New Zealand’s premier annual travel trade event, hosted by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA). It brings together hundreds of international buyers, media, and partners with New Zealand tourism operators to showcase the country and grow inbound visitor business. Australia is consistently the largest source market. Visit trenz.co.nz
KARRYON UNPACKS: TRENZ’s southern shift lands at the same moment the South Island is doing record international numbers, with 287,000 visitors through Christchurch Airport in a single summer off the back of a 22 per cent jump. The southern gateway trade show is following demand rather than leading it, suggesting TIA sees 2027 as the year Ōtautahi Christchurch gets to tell its updated story to the world.
