A practical guide to planning a conference or incentive in Queenstown — venues, DMCs, transport and activities from MICE's live directory.
Queenstown is New Zealand's premier incentive and offsite destination — alpine scenery, a compact resort centre and an unusually deep pool of DMCs and adventure operators. MICE lists around 70 Queenstown venues and hotels, 14 delegate-transport operators and more than 90 event suppliers.
Queenstown's room inventory is smaller than the main centres and demand peaks in summer and ski season. Confirm dates and numbers first, then move fast on venues and hotels. Check MICE events for clashes.
For conferences Queenstown pairs resort hotels — Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, Crowne Plaza Queenstown, Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, Rydges Lakeland Resort and Millbrook Resort — with the Queenstown Events Centre for larger gatherings and spectacular offsite spaces such as Skyline Queenstown, Ayrburn, Gibbston Valley Winery and the TSS Earnslaw / Walter Peak. Filter by capacity via capacities or the venue directory.
Queenstown's stand-out strength is destination management. MICE lists DMCs and incentive houses including Queenstown Destination Management (QDM), Roam, Touch of Spice, Alpine Luxury Tours and HQ New Zealand, plus PCO QT Event Management — see PCOs & DMCs and incentive companies. For remote or multi-site programmes, a local DMC is worth its fee.
Distances and alpine roads make transport planning essential. MICE lists coaches (Ritchies Transport Queenstown), shuttles (Super Shuttle Queenstown), corporate cabs (Corporate Cabs Queenstown) and chauffeured or luxury transfers (Alpine Luxury Tours, Limousine South) — transport.
Queenstown's adventure menu is why many groups choose it — Shotover Jet, AJ Hackett Bungy, Ziptrek Ecotours, Nomad Safaris and Highlands Motorsport Park. Browse activities.
Queenstown combines resort hotels, a compact centre, dramatic offsite venues and an exceptionally deep pool of DMCs and adventure operators, making it New Zealand's leading incentive and offsite destination.
As early as possible. Queenstown's room inventory is smaller than the main centres and peaks over summer and ski season, so venues and hotels book out well in advance.
Resort hotels such as Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa, Crowne Plaza Queenstown and Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, plus the Queenstown Events Centre, handle larger gatherings.
A destination management company is highly recommended for multi-site or incentive programmes. MICE lists Queenstown DMCs and incentive houses including QDM, Roam, Touch of Spice and Alpine Luxury Tours.
Options include Shotover Jet, AJ Hackett Bungy, Ziptrek Ecotours and Highlands Motorsport Park, all listed under activities on MICE.
The Queenstown venues that can seat a 450-plus-guest gala or banquet dinner, ranked by banquet capacity.
The Queenstown venues able to seat a 700-plus-delegate conference in one plenary room, ranked by theatre capacity.
Queenstown lists 65 team-building and group-activity operators on MICE, from alpine adventure and jetboating to wine, Māori culture and CSR.
The Queenstown venues that can seat 250 or more guests banquet-style for a gala dinner, awards night or conference dinner, ranked by banquet capacity.
Queenstown's unique event venues — gondola summits, lakeside wineries and a vintage steamship — for incentives, galas and offsites.
How to arrange conference and delegate transport in Queenstown: airport transfers, coaches, shuttles and private cars from 15 listed operators.