For the first time in the event’s history, Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (TRENZ) will take place in the Southern Lakes region of New Zealand’s South Island.

TRENZ is the largest international showcase of New Zealand’s leading tourism and travel specialists and is staged by the Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA). Traditionally held in the main centres of Auckland, Rotorua and Christchurch, TRENZ 2011 will see a change in format with the influential tradeshow focused on the Southern Lakes regions of Queenstown, Fiordland and Lake Wanaka with Queenstown as the main hub.

Destination Queenstown chief executive, Tony Everitt, said it was a great coup for the Southern Lakes region to be afforded the opportunity to hold an event of this calibre. “This is the first time we are the host region for TRENZ and this means we can showcase the area to more than 200 international travel and tourism buyers and media in one hit.”

Lisa Sadler, manager Destination Fiordland said the benefits of having TRENZ in the South Island were already proven and hosting the event in the Southern Lakes would only augment those benefits. “We know we benefited from having TRENZ in the South Island in the past as buyers were more inclined to get out and explore the region before and after the event. So to now have TRENZ happening within Southern lakes is huge,” she said. “This presents a wonderful opportunity for the local industry to have the travel trade’s premier event on our front doorstep.”

TRENZ 2011 will take place in the week beginning 23 May 2011. For further information, visit www.southernlakes.travel or www.trenz.co.nz