The 26th Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference and AGM runs 18–22 October 2026 in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, hosted by Hawke's Bay Tourism on behalf of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, under the theme 'A World of New' — the first time the flagship gathering has come to New Zealand.
The 26th Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference and AGM will be held in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, from 18 to 22 October 2026. It is the first time the flagship gathering of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network has come to New Zealand, following Hawke's Bay's 2023 induction as the network's newest member. Registrations are open on a dedicated, live official conference site under the theme "A World of New", promising delegates an immersive five-day programme of new cultures, wines, experiences, connections and business opportunities.
The conference and AGM are staged by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, the international body linking 11 wine-and-tourism cities including Bordeaux, Mendoza, Adelaide, Napa Valley, Lausanne, Porto, Verona and Mainz. Locally the event is hosted and delivered by Hawke's Bay Tourism. Regional backers listed on the official site include Hawke's Bay Wine, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and Hawke's Bay Airport, signalling a coordinated regional-government and industry effort.
This is a business-to-business event at its core, with a consumer-facing edge. It is expected to draw more than 150 delegates: international wine-tourism travel trade, media, wine-related businesses and academics, alongside member representatives from the network's cities. The published structure includes a Business Delegate Programme and a dedicated Knowledge Day, with the AGM giving the event its governance function for the global network.
No single named conference venue has been published; the programme is framed as a region-wide experience across Hawke's Bay rather than a fixed convention centre, and the official site carries a Hotels page and a Plan Your Visit destination guide for delegate accommodation and logistics. Napier is the regional gateway, served by Hawke's Bay Airport (a named supporter), with domestic connections from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch feeding international arrivals. Because content spans wineries and cultural sites across the Napier–Hastings area, delegate movement is expected to rely on organised coach transfers between venues rather than a single walkable precinct.
Winning a rotating international association conference and AGM is a marquee result for New Zealand's business-events sector: it delivers high-yield, long-haul delegates in the shoulder season, showcases a regional destination beyond the main-centre convention hubs, and positions Hawke's Bay on the global wine-tourism stage. The mix of association governance, travel-trade and media makes it a strong legacy-building win for regional NZ MICE.
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