John Hagen, chief executive of Crown Infrastructure Delivery, which built and owns Te Pae Christchurch, said the results demonstrated the ongoing value of the Crown’s investment in the convention centre.
“The Crown backed Te Pae to help drive the regeneration of central Christchurch by attracting more visitors, investment and activity. These results show it is delivering on that vision in a very tangible way.”
General manager at Te Pae Christchurch Ross Steele said the significant economic impact underscored the venue’s growing national and international reputation as part of a region-wide renaissance of business and events tourism.
“We’re very proud of Te Pae Christchurch’s reputation as one of Australasia’s leading convention centres, helping position Christchurch and Canterbury as a premier business events destination.”
Steele said the success reflected both the work of the Te Pae Christchurch team and the strength of the wider Canterbury events sector.
“That success reflects the dedication of the Te Pae Christchurch team and the strength of our manaaki o Te Pae approach, which places hospitality at the heart of every guest experience.
“It also highlights the importance of an integrated regional effort, bringing together Christchurch City Council, ChristchurchNZ, Christchurch Airport, accommodation and hospitality providers, local food and beverage suppliers, and the many talented entertainers, designers and performers who all play a part in delivering a unique and memorable experience of our region.”
Over the past year, landmark events have highlighted the versatility of the centre and its growing international appeal, including Adaptation Futures 2025, the International Society of Arboriculture Conference, and the 10th IWA-ASPIRE + Water New Zealand Conference and Expo.
Open CHCH is a celebration of the Garden City’s historic and contemporary architecture. Photo / Christchurch NZ, Supplied
Te Pae also played a key role in supporting domestic visitor activity during the city’s shoulder season, with The Art of Banksy exhibition drawing more than 38,000 visitors over summer.
The venue’s reputation has also been reflected in a growing number of industry accolades.
During the past year, Te Pae was recognised as Oceania’s Leading Meetings and Conference Centre at the World Travel Awards 2025 and was named among the Top 50 Convention Centres Worldwide (TTW 2026).
Steele said the international events industry had evolved rapidly in the post-Covid era, with changing expectations around community, culture, sustainability and visitor experience.
“Organisations increasingly want events that deliver meaningful outcomes for delegates while aligning with their environmental and social values. Te Pae Christchurch continues to be recognised internationally for helping set new benchmarks for sustainable convention delivery, which not only provides a key advantage in the global business events industry, but also strongly connects to the values of the Christchurch community.”
The organisation has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% since 2022 and was recently re-certified by Toitū Envirocare as Net Carbon Zero and Enviromark Gold. Te Pae also retained its Qualmark Gold certification along with ISO 9001 and ISO 22000.
“It’s important to recognise that this year’s success has been built on a foundation Christchurch has been developing for many years. Increasingly, international conference and business event organisers are choosing Christchurch for its safe, welcoming and walkable city centre, strong connection to culture and heritage, and spectacular natural environment.”
Steele said Te Pae had a strong pipeline of conventions and events confirmed for 2026 and beyond, supported by the city’s growing accommodation sector and new visitor attractions.