Dr Ian Boothroyd recognized for successful 2023 EIANZ Conference bid

The Tourism New Zealand Business Events National Awards recognised the contribution of key industry leaders and academics who had successfully bid for, and won, high-profile international conferences to be hosted in New Zealand.

Among the honorees was Boffa Miskell ecologist Dr Ian Boothroyd, who won the Tourism NZ Business Award for securing the Environmental Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) conference for Auckland in 2023.

It’s not the first time New Zealand will host the EIANZ Conference — it’s previously been held in Christchurch and Wellington.

“Auckland is a great showcase for a conference,” says Ian, “As we know, it also is an exemplar of the challenges of a fast-growing city in a rapidly changing world. The EIANZ conference provides an opportunity to discuss these very matters amongst a broad range of expert practitioners who are focused on solutions to these issues.”

Ian is a Fellow of the EIANZ and served as New Zealand Chapter President from 2014-2016. Among his work for the Institute, Ian has been involved in the publication of several national guidelines, including the RMLA award-winning ‘New Zealand Guidelines for Ecological Impact Assessment’. He is also Managing Partner of Boffa Miskell’s Whangarei office.

“The conference bid process involved putting a proposal to the EIANZ Board and getting that accepted,” says Ian. “A conference in Auckland was first proposed for 2021 but COVID-19 has resulted in two postponements so now it is planned for 2023.

“A venue has been provisionally booked and a Committee formed to progress the organisation of the conference, including confirming the venue, raising sponsorship, and approaching potential overseas speakers.”

The 2023 EIANZ Conference will be a three-day event, including field trips; and around 250 to 300 attendees are expected.

Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive René de Monchy said, “The hard work of these influential and talented individuals plays an integral part in attracting these events to our shores. In the last financial year alone, New Zealand won 34 conferences, estimated to be worth $41.6m to our local economy. ”

Tourism New Zealand will also plant a native tree in honour of each of the National Awards recipients through environmental charity Project Crimson’s Trees That Count programme. The gift further extends each conference champion’s contribution to New Zealand and supports World Tourism Day’s theme of regenerative tourism.

Find out more Dr Ian Boothroyd named a Fellow of the EIANZ

For further information please contact Dr. Ian Boothroyd