What is Trenz?

An aerial view of some of the 175 North Island exhibitors, set up in the Queenstown Events Centre main hall for Trenz, which officially begins in Queenstown today. A tunnel links the hall to a massive marquee erected over the events centre car park, which holds the check-in area and all the South Island exhibitors.

- What is Trenz?
Tourism Rendezvous New Zealand (Trenz) is the largest annual international trade event on the New Zealand tourism industry calendar. The event helps to grow New Zealand's tourism industry, worth $9.5 billion in foreign exchange annually.

- Which organisations are behind it?
Trenz is managed by the Tourism Industry Association, supported by industry partners including Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and Qantas, and is being hostedin the Southern Lakes for the first time.

- Where is Trenz?
The Queenstown Events Centre and an adjacent marquee are where exhibitors set up their booths. However, networking and social events are being held around Queenstown.

Nineke Metz (left) and Cheryl Jensen (right), both of Destination Northland, with Kate Malcolm of Dive! Tutukaka during the setting up of their booths at the Queenstown Events Centre for Trenz, which officially begins in the resort today. Photos by Tracey Roxburgh.

- Who is attending Trenz?
Almost 300 global travel and tourism buyers will be looking to purchase accommodation, transport and activities at wholesale rates for the coming international holiday seasons. They will be dealing with a similar number of exhibiting New Zealand tourism operators.

About 50 Southern Lakes tourism operators will attend, including Destination Queenstown, AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, Kawarau Jet, Millbrook, Real Journeys, Skyline Queenstown, Southern Discoveries, Totally Tourism, Lake Wanaka Tourism and Destination Fiordland.

International and domestic media plus sponsors, VIPs and the host and management team will also participate.

All delegates will have opportunities to experience activities ranging from skydiving, bungy-jumping and jet-boating to a Lord of the Rings tour, wine-tasting and golf.

- Who are the guest speakers?
Tourism industry heavyweights are lined up for the first media conference, held today.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive Kevin Bowler and Tourism Industry Association chief executive Tim Cossar will give updates. Christchurch and Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter will report on reopening the region for business after the February 22 earthquake.

Tourism Australia general manager for New Zealand Jenny Aitken and Tourism Queensland international director New Zealand Graeme Manson will explain how their markets are operating as normal, following the state's natural disasters.

Andrew Stone, Auckland-based partner in advertising agency Droga5, gives his speech titled, "Famous from New Zealand - how to get noticed from the most creative country in the world," to delegates today.

Trevor Lee and Lilly Choi-Lee, Australia-based founders of international customer service training firm TravConsult, tomorrow deliver tips for engaging emerging markets.

On Wednesday, Pierre Gervois, president and chief executive of Hong Kong-based luxury tourism communication agency China Elite Focus Ltd, offers ways to target affluent Chinese travellers .

The second media conference, on Wednesday, will feature Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive Martin Sneddon, with his update on preparations.

REAL New Zealand Festival director Briony Ellis will discuss events which aim to encourage world cup visitors and residents to experience more of the country, and finally, Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key will address the media.