A strong collaborative effort saw a group of Waikato exhibitors walk away with the ‘Best Stand of the Year’ Award at this week’s Convene Expo.

The 11-strong group consisting of Hamilton & Waikato Convention Bureau, Claudelands Conference & Exhibition Centre, Novotel & Ibis Hamilton, Hobbiton Movie Set, Mystery Creek Events Centre, SKYCITY Hamilton, Avantidrome, Hamilton Gardens, LaValla, Okororie Hot Springs Hotel and The Ambassador Hotel, all exhibited together under a ‘Hamilton & Waikato’ branded stand.

The stand featured a uniformed look across each of its 11 booths, with large-scale imagery showcasing each exhibitors’ unique offerings and a Waikato River decal on the floor flowing through the middle of the space to create a pathway for buyers.

Award judges Julie Abbot of Groundwork and Dona White of Northport commented that they thought the “walk-through” concept of the Hamilton & Waikato stand was fantastic, and also praised the individual exhibitors for being helpful and informative, and having great products on display.

Hamilton & Waikato Convention Bureau Manager Amanda Graham says the ‘Best Stand of the Year’ Award is amazing recognition for the region.

“We have so many great things going for us in the Hamilton and Waikato region – from world-class attractions and award-winning cuisine, to quality accommodation and outstanding venues. The real strength of Hamilton & Waikato is its combined offering, so it’s great that the collaborative approach we took to the stand was recognised.”

Claudelands Business Development and Sales Manager Wendy Harrison says the award helps put the spotlight on the region ahead of the CINZ Annual Conference taking place there in October.

“We are really excited to host the CINZ Conference in Hamilton and the Waikato later this year and work together as a region to showcase everything we have to offer to business events delegates,” she says.