Queenstown will host another significant tourism convention next month, less than three weeks after the successful Trenz travel trade show.
About 200 owner-operators and members of the Motel Association of New Zealand (Manz) are expected to attend its 38th annual conference and trade expo in Rydges Lakeland Resort, from June 8 to 11.
Chief executive Michael Baines, of Wellington, said last week that motels formed the largest sector of commercial accommodation in New Zealand.
Mr Baines said 3500 owner-operators employed about 8500 people. Motels sold 3 million bed nights a year, one-third to overseas visitors.
"No part of industry, including ours, over the past three or four years has been tracking that well.
"We're suffering like everyone else, but it's an industry which is fundamentally self-financed, which gives you slightly better control and a little bit more flexibility."
How the industry was adapting to online booking and future expectations are two issues to be discussed by delegates.
Motivational speaker Tony Christiansen and radio host Kerre Woodham are among the guest speakers.
The gala dinner, on the Friday night, will include a charity auction with proceeds going to the Canterbury Disaster Relief Fund. Exhibitors were asked to give items for prize draws for the charity, Mr Baines said.
"Fortunately, most of our members survived the earthquake intact.
"We lost four motels. One's got major repairs and one has to be rebuilt. Out of a stock of 120, or 130, that's not bad."
However, another impact of the earthquake was that a third of the domestic touring population, who might have occupied motels during their trips, came from Christchurch.
It was likely the number was now "out of the equation", which affected regional motel occupancy, he said.
Money earned by individually owned motels stayed in communities and was not sent back to a multinational corporation, which made the industry "extremely important to New Zealand", Mr Baines said.
The New Zealand Automobile Association, Jasons, Noel Leeming, eftpos New Zealand and BNZ are among the 35 to 40 exhibitors in the trade show.
Media from three or four publications were expected.
Manz conferences alternated between the North and South Islands each year.
The 2011 event had been scheduled to be held in the Hotel Grand Chancellor, in Christchurch, until the earthquake.
However, the association still wanted a South Island destination and felt lucky to be in one of the great tourism venues in the world.
"We're looking forward to having our conference there and leaving a bit of money in the community," Mr Baines said.
