Bed and breakfast hosts will get ‘Back in the Swing’ of business at it upcoming national conference with a programme packed with valuable information about operating in a post-pandemic market.
The two-day Vision Insurance Bed and Breakfast Conference’s speaker line-up features professionals from within the accommodation sector and inspiration from outside the sector. The conference – the first since 2020 – is themed Back in the Swing and also includes workshops and plenty of networking with other Bed and Breakfast owners and support services. Delegates will also have an opportunity to enjoy tourism experiences available in Wellington.
The conference will take place at the Copthorne Oriental Bay in Wellington, from the 19th until the 21st of June 2023. It begins with a Travel Trade Afternoon which will facilitate connections between B&B operators and inbound tour operators. Participants will include bed and breakfasts, homestays, farm stays, luxury accommodation, self-catering properties as well as small commercial-sized bed and breakfasts.
Between the 20th and 21st of June, a series of top-level speakers will share insights on tourism trends and inspiration for Bed and Breakfast operators. Speakers include Tourism Minister Peeni Henare, Wellington Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon, Tourism New Zealand’s Bjoern Spreitzer, Tourism Export Council’s Lynda Keene and Tourism Industry Aotearoa’s Rebecca Ingram.
“We know Bed and Breakfast operators like to hear from local businesses who are being innovative, so we will have presentations from Te Papa and a fascinating story from East by West Ferries,” said association president Donna Brooke.
“And our conference wouldn’t be complete without hearing from some of our own. There will be interesting presentations from some B&B operators who are doing more than accommodation.”
A series of interactive workshops will round out the formal conference programme, with digital marketing agency Tomahawk and the Tourism Export Council among those leading the workshops. A full complement of trade stands will also be available for delegates to visit.
A highlight of the conference will be the Vision Insurance Gala Awards Dinner where the annual Bed and Breakfast Business Excellence Awards will be presented.
“We put our awards programme on hold in 2022 so there is much excitement at this renewed opportunity to celebrate the best businesses in our sector,” Brooke said.
