Rugby World Cup Update

Attention: open in a new window. | Print |

Rugby World Cup 2011 - and beyond

Following on from the EDANZ board RWC planning sessions, here's an update on our thinking about ways in which EDAs can plan for the RWC2011.

The aim is to ensure local business are equipped and informed about ways to maximise commercial return from the event.

The RWC represents unprecedented economic opportunities for New Zealand and for EDAs to leverage corporate, business and international hosting programmes that will create a catalyst for lasting, positive change across their regions.

The exposure gained will be enormous and offers fantastic opportunities for regional businesses to:

Identify catalysts for growth
Develop and extend links with prospective international partners
Showcase their businesses to overseas companies
Capitalise on potential long-standing benefits.

What EDAs need to do

Although all regions will approach the RWC2011 differently based on their size, a coordinated approach must be developed to make full use of business opportunities and ensure a consistent message and theme.

Planning is underway through regional coordination groups to help you ensure your region is best positioned to make the most of this event and create a consistent quality visitor experience.

Keep it simple

Make it easy for businesses and international visitors to become a part of the RWC2011 festival:

Develop a RWC-specific website (or dedicate part of an existing website) as a single source of information so that businesses, national and international visitors know how and where they can find out what's happening in your region
Ensure you showcase regional talent to inbound business people and investors
Coordinate regional and national initiatives wherever possible to maximise value for all and underpin a coordinated approach.

You can do this by:

Working with your local Chambers of Commerce, EMAs and other EDAs in your wider region
Keeping up to date with national activities and identifying ways in which your region can leverage off these
Identifying your region's premier priority sector and ensuring it is promoted regionally and/or in partnership with other regions (see attached sector breakdown by region)
Ensuring your RWC2011 website delivers relevant and timely information to businesses and links to all other RWC2011-related sites to promote a consistent approach, theme and messaging
Providing regular e-updates to businesses
Communicating Major Events Management Act (MEMA) issues so businesses understand the parameters around RWC leverage
Making full use of the tools and resources listed below to stay informed/ keep your region informed/ promote events and opportunities for local businesses/visitors.

Resources and tools

These will provide opportunities for promoting your regional events to a national and international audience. Ensure your own regional websites and businesses are linked into these.

These tools are available now.

www.nz2011.govt.nz - General events promotion and one-stop-shop for all RWC info. RSS feeds available.
www.tenderlink.com/businessopportunities2011/ Most business opportunities around event supply and infrastructure will be listed at this site. Registration is free
www.kiaoramai.co.nz An entry-level employee training programme for those in hospitality, accommodation, travel, transport, tourism, retail, hairdressing, beauty and spa to ensure a consistent visitor experience within the service industry.
www.nzgoglobal.co.nz International business networking forum. These tools are to be made available in the first half of 2010.
RWC Business Opportunities Guides. Auckland has already published its version (see www.auckland2011.com). Others are planned. These provide detailed info for businesses on how to get involved. Use as a guide to developing your own region-specific version.
RWC Events Database will detail events and host a calendar listing all RWC-related activities that meet the criteria - sporting, cultural, tourism, business and investment-related
Business Club 2011. New Zealand businesses can register now. International visitors will be able to sign up, register their interests, regions they plan to visit, teams they're supporting, etc. The proposed database will then offer info on events that match their interests/requirements.

Look out for:

Regional 2011 Conference, earmarked for Wellington in early 2010. It will have a business focus. More details to follow from the New Zealand 2011 office (www.nz2011.govt.nz)
Investment Attraction Plan - to be communicated by end of 2009. Will include potential events/opportunities
Country profiles. NZTE is compiling profiles on each competing country. They will include strategic relationships, planned trade mission activity and high-profile industry sectors

Next steps

Each region to summarise its readiness for business leverage and advise what further support is required to ensure it can meet the agreed minimum requirements, above.
Let us know of any further regional resources you would like to see to support regional activities.
Confirm your region's priority sector.

EDANZ RWC Team

Investment - Clyde Rogers

Business Opportunities - Janet Takarangi

Skills and Talent - Stuart Trundle

Communications - Nigel Kirkpatrick