Economic Development New Zealand brings its national conference to Central Otago on 5–6 November 2026, with the theme 'Stronger Together: Partnering for Economic Impact' at the newly opened Te Puna Mahara — Cromwell Memorial Events Centre.
Economic Development New Zealand (EDNZ) will hold its 2026 Annual Conference on 5–6 November 2026 in Cromwell, Central Otago, under the theme "Stronger Together: Partnering for Economic Impact." The programme opens with pre-conference tours on 4 November based in Queenstown, before the main two-day event moves to the newly built Te Puna Mahara — Cromwell Memorial Events Centre, with registration handled through a Cvent portal.
The conference is organised by Economic Development New Zealand, the national membership body for economic development practitioners. According to EDNZ, the organisation empowers economic development teams and professionals across New Zealand, supporting members through capability building, collaboration, advocacy and thought leadership. Membership is open to individuals, economic development agencies and associates working in or alongside the sector. The 2026 edition is being delivered in partnership with Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes regional economic development and business-events teams, who jointly secured the national conference for the region.
EDNZ positions the conference for economic development leaders, practitioners and partners from across Aotearoa, including councils, iwi, central government agencies and private-sector organisations. The organiser's programme spans keynote addresses, focused breakout sessions, regional insights, hands-on workshops and the EDNZ Best Practice / Excellence Awards Gala, alongside the organisation's AGM. Announced keynote speakers include Sir Peter Beck of Rocket Lab, Sam Stubbs of Simplicity and Mike Casey of Rewiring Aotearoa.
Te Puna Mahara — Cromwell Memorial Events Centre is a council-owned facility on the shores of Lake Dunstan that officially opened in July 2026. For reporting context, the centre offers a 400-seat tiered auditorium that converts to banquet layouts, breakout and classroom spaces, and a foyer for exhibitions, with stated capacities of up to about 240 for a gala dinner and up to 500 for standing functions. The venue sits in Cromwell in Central Otago, roughly 45 minutes' drive from Queenstown and its international airport, which is the nearest major air gateway for delegates. Cromwell and the wider Central Otago / Queenstown Lakes area provide the surrounding accommodation base.
The conference is a notable win for Central Otago's business-events sector: regional coverage reported it as one of the first national conferences secured for the new Cromwell venue, demonstrating the centre's capacity to host multi-day professional gatherings outside New Zealand's traditional main-city circuit. For the economic development community, it concentrates practitioners from councils, iwi, government and business in one regional location, reinforcing the stronger-together collaboration theme that underpins the 2026 programme.
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