Business View Oceania l February/March 2023

5 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 5, ISSUE 2 INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMERS TO CONVERGE ON CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND OPENING L INES O p e n i n g L i n e s Christchurch, New Zealand has won a bid to host astronomers from around the globe for the Extreme Solar Systems V conference in 2024. Over 500 international members of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), who focus on the study of exoplanets outside of our solar system, will gather for five days in March 2024 at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre. The event was secured with the support of ChristchurchNZ and Tourism New Zealand. It will include a field trip to the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only eight in the world. ChristchurchNZ Head of Business Events, Megan Crum, says this prestigious international conference will have an expected economic impact of NZD 1.1 million for the region. “It boosts Christchurch's reputation as a knowledge and experience hub and will leave a lasting legacy for the region. Our vibrant, intelligent small city is the full package in a bucket-list destination. Excellent flight connectivity into New Zealand's second largest airport makes it attractive to international experts for many reasons.