ORL 2026 is the 79th Annual Scientific Meeting of the New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, held 27–30 October 2026 at the Cordis Hotel in central Auckland.
ORL 2026 is the 79th Annual General and Scientific Meeting of the New Zealand Society of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery (NZSOHNS). The meeting runs from Tuesday 27 October to Friday 30 October 2026 at the Cordis Hotel in central Auckland, with pre-conference workshops opening proceedings on the Tuesday and the main scientific programme carrying through to the Friday.
The meeting is convened by NZSOHNS, the body that represents Otolaryngologists / Head & Neck (Ear, Nose and Throat) Surgeons across New Zealand. According to the Society, NZSOHNS — in partnership with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons — administers the New Zealand National Training Programme for future ENT surgeons and holds an Annual Scientific Meeting each year for the professional development of its members. This 2026 edition is the 79th in that unbroken annual series, placing it among the longer-running specialty medical meetings in the country. Conference management is handled by W4U.
The organisers describe the audience as clinicians, surgeons, researchers and allied professionals committed to advancing Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery. The programme spans general otolaryngology and its subspecialties through expert-led sessions, multidisciplinary panel discussions, hands-on workshops, poster presentations and a social programme. An exhibition hall runs alongside the scientific sessions, showcasing medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and related services. Published deadlines include abstract submissions opening 13 April 2026, the call for abstracts closing 6 July 2026, and early-bird registration closing 24 August 2026.
The Cordis Hotel sits at 83 Symonds Street on the edge of the Auckland CBD, a single integrated property that lets a four-day congress keep plenary space, exhibition and delegate accommodation under one roof — a practical fit for a multi-day meeting with workshops, posters and an exhibition running concurrently. The Symonds Street location is in the central city, close to the university precinct and Auckland Hospital, and a short distance from the motorway network. Auckland Airport (AKL) is the gateway for out-of-town and international delegates, roughly 20 km south of the CBD by road. The central-city setting means most delegate movement between hotel, sessions and the city is contained within walking distance, with airport transfers the main longer-haul leg for arriving attendees. (Reported as factual context only.)
As a 79-year annual fixture of a national surgical society, ORL 2026 is a recurring, destination-anchored medical congress of the kind that underpins New Zealand's business-events calendar: a defined professional audience, a multi-day format combining education, trade exhibition and social functions, and a central-Auckland CBD venue. Its scale and regularity make it a representative example of the medical and scientific congress segment for Auckland.
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