News release
8 August 2014
AIR FORCE MUSEUM VENUE RECOGNISED AS CHAMPION
CANTERBURY BUSINESS AWARDS FINALIST
Air Force Museum, together with its partner Vbase, has been recognised as a
Tourism/Hospitality Finalist in the 2014 Champion Canterbury Business Awards.
The partnership between the award-winning museum and tourism attraction and
Christchurch’s premier venue management organisation was designed to rejuvenate
the business tourism and hospitality sector.
This 1500sqm of new conference space has proved to be a versatile and impressive
venue for conferences, trade exhibitions and gala dinners.
Together the Air Force Museum with its new building, and Vbase with its expertise
crafted a new temporary venue to attract high-value business tourism events back to
Christchurch.
Air Force Museum Director Therese Angelo says although the new building was
designed solely for Air Force Museum use, the Christchurch earthquakes created
new demands and even before it was finished a large area of the gallery space was
set aside as a temporary venue.
“The partnership was created through shared motivation to ensure we not only
provided the local community with a place to come and enjoy events, but also
created a wider economic benefit to the region through convention business,” she
says.
“The loss of the convention centre took with it a $100 million a year industry, so
offering the remaining space as a temporary convention centre to help rebuild some
of that industry seemed like a great idea.
“Vbase’s expertise in attracting and hosting great events was an essential part of the
success of the venue,” she says.
The venue is set to operate until the new convention centre is open, building
confidence in the city’s ability to host events. The building will then revert to its
intended use as an aircraft display gallery.
Vbase General Manager, Darren Burden says the temporary venue is unique in
Christchurch and fills a much-needed gap between smaller venues and the
expansive Horncastle Arena.
“With capacity for up to 1300 people and flexibility for use, the open design with its
clean lines and affordable space has been in hot demand since it opened in
February 2013,” he says.
In 2013 the venue contributed more than $3 million to the local economy, bringing
business events to the city and associated accommodation, food, beverage,
transport and retail spend.
In the 10 months to the end of 2013 the Museum hosted 91,000 people attending
250 separate events. Initial revenue generation forecasts were exceeded by 154%.
“The conference market share for Christchurch, which had dropped to 2% postearthquake now sits at closer to 10% thanks in no small part to the availability of this
venue,” Darren Burden says.
Both partners endeavour to support charitable activities whenever possible. This
means that the venues are regularly provided free of charge or at a discount rate.
The Christchurch Symphony Orchestra which uses the existing Aircraft Hall as a
performance venue numerous times each year.
The wider community has also benefited from a new cost-effective venue that is able
to host school balls, retail sales, concerts, meetings and other local based events,
which had had been difficult to accommodate post-quake.
The Champion Canterbury Business Awards will be held on 17 September.
championcanterbury.org.nz
- ends For further information and images, please contact:
Anabel Darby
Email: anabel@darby.pro
Tel: 021 668 090