The Hospitality New Zealand Conference and Trade Show, HNZ25 is underway at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, welcoming operators, suppliers, and industry leaders from across the country for two days of kōrero, connection and practical insight.
Hospitality NZ Chief Executive Steve Armitage opened HNZ25 by acknowledging the pressures facing the hospitality and accommodation sectors, and highlighting the value of events like HNZ25 in bringing the industry together as a collective.
“Quite naturally, we feel the decisions that lead to a business shutting up shop,” he said.
“And yet, if we dig beneath the headlines, there are new venues opening every week up and down the country. As we drive the industry forward, collaboration is crucial to seeing the sector thrive into the future.”
Economist Shamubeel Eaqub delivered a keynote presentation on the state of the economy, and busted hospitality myths, noting that hospitality is not dying with the number of hospitality businesses continuing to grow and “the reality is more nuanced than the media is portraying.”
He also noted that hospitality’s productivity is on par with other industries in Aotearoa, with hospitality showing a faster growth in productivity over the last decade than total productivity growth, and that Kiwis don’t hate tourism, with nearly 75% of Kiwis welcoming the tourism industry.
He went on to describe how demand is hibernating. In the meantime, businesses should focus on what they can do to prepare themselves for the return in demand.
Other speakers on the first day included Hon Louise Upston, Minister for Tourism and Hospitality and Hon Nicole McKee, Associate Minister of Justice.
The afternoon programme focused on breakout sessions offering practical tools for improving business performance, from workforce planning to marketing to compliance.
Throughout the day, delegates experienced the HNZ25 Tradeshow, sponsored by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, showcasing a wide range of suppliers and service providers, from tech platforms and equipment specialists to beverage distributors and sustainability innovators.
Tomorrow’s conference programme includes a focus on building culture and the future of work.
HNZ25 is held in conjunction with the 2025 Lion Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence, celebrated over two evenings.
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