Big benefits are set to come to the Wairarapa after it was announced the region will host the 2013 Tourism Export Council Conference.

The decision was announced at Thursday night’s theme night at Monteiths Brewery on the West Coast following the 2012 Tourism Export Council Conference.  Chief Executive, Lesley Immink says the conferences traditionally alternate between the North and South Islands.

“We are delighted to be staging the 2013 conference in the Wairarapa winning by three votes over Hamilton-Waikato. The 190 delegates at this year’s conference greeted the announcement with much enthusiasm so we know we’re going to get plenty of support,”   she says.

Destination WairarapaChief Executive David Hancock says the Wairarapa team who put in a joint bid to host the conference are rapt. These included representatives from the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Solway Park, Tranzit and Tui Brewery whose presentation showed a fun and personable side to the Wairarapa and highlighted the great time delegates will have at the conference.

“This is fantastic.  It will bring the top New Zealand inbound holiday destination decision makers to the Wairarapa and give us and every tour operator in the region a real vehicle to promote the region,” he says. “When the West Coast last hosted this conference at Franz Josef in the early 1990s the region saw a big rise in awareness and visitor numbers surged – we expect to see those benefits in the Wairarapa.”

Mr Hancock says being awarded the conference was the culmination of years of hard work by the regional tourism organisation of working closely with inbound operators and educating them about the region.

“We can’t underestimate how much value this conference means to us. It is an exciting opportunity to showcase the Wairarapa and over the coming months we will be calling on other tourism operators in the region to be involved.”

Mrs Immink says that getting tourism operators to different parts of the country is a key part in educating them on the attractions and activities on offer.

“The Wairarapa has a growing reputation as a visitor destination and we know that Destination Wairarapa will do a great job in ensuring that delegates from around New Zealand and overseas will see it at its very best.”

The dates for the August 2013 conference will be announced in the next few weeks.