Auckland’s new convention centre in high demand but expert warns honeymoon may end

Auckland's new convention centre has hosted more than 100 events since opening in February 2026, but an events-management expert is warning the honeymoon period may be unsustainable.

With about 170 events scheduled at the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) before the end of June, and a further 200 already booked for 2027, the venue's schedule is filling up quickly.

Operations manager Ian Love says staff have been overwhelmed since opening, but the ongoing demand is great for the city.

"I think we're on track to do 500,000 visitor days in 2027."

Love says these visitor days will bring much-needed revenue into the city through hotels and tourism, as well as food and beverage purchases.

"It's about a $90 million injection into the city each year."

The cost of the convention centre is “pushing a billion” says Love. And the impact of the 2019 roof fire, which significantly damaged the building and led to delays, increased the total cost of the project.

AUT senior lecturer and events management lead Dr Sandra Goh says while the centre's economic impact on Auckland is clear, other parts of town needed to be considered for "more sustainable success" for the city.

Goh says the venue is an exciting new space for event designers and planners, but for international events, organisers should consider the whole package of Auckland.

Without an all-city strategy, the novelty of the new convention centre might wear off.

"[The NZICC] would need to show [visitors] what the city has to offer, and people are part of that experience as well.

"We are selling the brand of New Zealand, and NZICC is just one of the attractions."

Love says he expects the convention centre to be particularly busy over the first 12 months as it establishes itself as Auckland's newest venue.

"We're the new kid on the block, so we'll get a lot of events.”

NZICC is New Zealand’s largest convention centre with capacity to host up to 4000 people.

When designing the venue, Love says they prioritised presenting New Zealand culture to the world, alongside providing an experience he then compared to a 5-star hotel.

However, Goh says that NZICC needs to look externally to make the Auckland package more attractive for international events.

"Yes, we have a beautiful venue, but in order to sustain it there are so many other areas that we need to be mindful of."

Goh suggested working with city partners and planners to promote Auckland as a city worthy of hosting major international events.

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AI was not used in the creation of this story.