Destination Queenstown chairman Mark Quickfall said he chaired the three-hour meeting attended by about 30 people at the Heritage hotel.
The QAC, owned by the Queenstown Lakes District Council, sold 24.99% of the corporation to AIAL for $27.7 million.
The deal was announced publicly on July 8.
Mr Quickfall said Destination Queenstown's strategic review board called the meeting to promote "mature debate" between key stakeholders and community representatives.
The board's job was to look at any strategic issues affecting Queenstown.
"The board decided that the airport issue is a strategic issue for Queenstown of national importance.
We thought it would be useful to call together key stakeholders, industry representatives, the council, Queenstown Airport Corporation and Auckland International Airport and discuss the issues," he said.
AIA chief executive Simon Moutter, QAC chief executive Mark Taylor and QLDC chief executive Debra Lawson attended the meeting to listen to the discussion and answer any questions.
"People had a lot of questions and they got the feedback they required. There were people for the transaction and people there that are opposed to it," he said.
"It was important to have constructive information in a forum where people could ask questions and have an open and frank discussion," he said.
QAC and QLDC were obligated to consult the public before proceeding with any further transactions with AIA, he said.
AIAL is seeking to increase its interest in Queenstown Airport to as much as a 35% shareholding.
The first phase of share issues to AIA was a done deal, but the Queenstown community could have a say in the second phase, Mr Quickfall said.
"The second phase cannot take place before full consultation with the community. That's not going to happen this side of the election [in October]."
The board would hold similar meetings in the coming months to continue the "sensible debate" to ensure the best outcome for the Queenstown community.
The Queenstown Community Strategic Asset Group was established to oppose the deal.
Spokesman John Martin said he and Richard Mehrtens represented the group at the meeting.
"We didn't get to speak but we did have a chance to ask questions at the question-and-answer session," he said.
An "overwhelming" response at the meeting was that the deal should not proceed, he said.
The group was considering its position.
"We are trying to get all the information about the deal and to date through the Official Information Act we have been unsuccessful so we are considering what to do.
"We have had a lot of legal advice and there are courses of action open to us," he said.
He declined to say what they were.
The Office of the Auditor-general had not responded to its request to review the deal.
The strategic review board
- Among the members of the board are the following. -Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes and two councillors.
- The Destination Queenstown board of directors.
- Representatives from organisations including the Queenstown Chamber of Commerce, Tourism New Zealand, Queenstown Airport Corporation, the police, accommodation providers; and industry sectors including hospitality, ski, retail, real estate conference and trades.
