Hosted by Water Safety New Zealand and Austswim, more than 300 delegates will hear guest speakers such as Jeff Hoedt, chief of the United States coast guard boating safety division, who oversees the guard's efforts at reducing fatalities, injuries and property losses in recreational boating.
Water Safety NZ chief executive Matt Claridge, of Wellington, said Queenstown was one of only five locations in the country with a bylaw requiring boat users to wear life jackets.
It was legislation Water Safety wanted applied throughout in New Zealand to reduce the number of drowning deaths.
''We're rebuilding the water safety culture in New Zealand and will take a couple of generations before we see drowning statistics start to come down,'' Mr Claridge said.
The conference starts tomorrow and ends with a gala dinner on Saturday night, where the winners of the 2013 Sealord New Zealand Water Safety Awards will be announced.
