Rugby World Cup 2011

New Zealand’s hosting of the 2011 Rugby World Cup offers the country a unique opportunity for economic development on an unprecedented scale. Hosting global events is an inherently loss making business in the short term, but if leveraged correctly, the long term legacy benefits can go far beyond even the most optimistic expectations.

Rugby World Cup 2011 (RWC 2011) will run for 45 days (1.5 months), beginning on Friday 9 September 2011 and concluding on Sunday 23 October 2011. The tournament offers several immediate opportunities for New Zealand’s businesses: 1) Supplying goods and services to RWC 2011; 2) Business from those organisations associated with the tournament; 3) Joining the RWC 2011 commercial family as an official sponsor or official supplier; 4) Benefitting from the influx of people for customer service based companies; 5) Contracts or subcontracts related to the infrastructure build-up for the tournament. RWC 2011 will definitely be the opportunity for council or other organisations to help commercialising ideas, or in other words, to incubate small businesses.

It is now great opportunity for Auckland to tie RWC 2011 to our economic development. The lead-up to the event will be a time of preparation around the Auckland region. Infrastructure is being upgraded; consumables and equipment needed for every aspect of the event will be purchased. Training and match venues are being re-vamped. All of this offers opportunities for different sectors of Auckland business. And independent analysis predicts a spending boost to the Auckland economy of $267 million. Auckland Plus, Auckland’s development agency, has placed great emphasis on foreign investor attraction in the build up to the RWC. The RWC 2011 business club offers opportunities that link local businesses to investment prospects. Launched in April 2010, the business club will see foreign businesspeople that visit New Zealand during the RWC hosted by local businesses who work in the same sector. Organisers hope that long term professional relationships will subsequently be built, which could encourage foreign direct investment in the future. In addition, in the build up to the RWC, Auckland Plus has also hosted a number of offshore events, such as the one in London in 2008, where the Auckland business brand has been promoted, with the opportunities offered by the RWC at the core of the conversation.

During the RWC itself, Auckland Plus will also be showcasing a number of chosen business sectors in events and displays on Queen’s Wharf. Playing to their strengths, Auckland Plus will look to showcase the offering of its food and wine, marine construction, information and communication technologies, health IT and biotech, as well as film industries. Queen’s Wharf will be the hub of activity for international visitors during the RWC and the event offers Auckland, and New Zealand, the opportunity to demonstrate their business aptitude to the world.