Premier international wine tourism event for Hawke’s Bay

Delegates from across the international wine and tourism community are set to converge on Hawke’s Bay in October when the region hosts the 26th Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference.

The five-day conference is the flagship event of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network and registrations have opened for industry professionals, travel trade representatives, and media from Great Wine Capitals around the world, including Bordeaux, Mendoza, Adelaide and Napa Valley.

Hawke's Bay was accepted as a member of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network, a community of the world's most renowned wine tourism regions, in 2023.

Under the theme ‘A World of New’, the 2026 conference programme includes keynote presentations, roundtable discussions, travel trade meetings, structured networking, hosted dinners, winery visits, and curated regional experiences.

New Zealand wine and tourism businesses are being encouraged to participate as Business Delegates, with the conference presenting a rare home-ground opportunity to connect face-to-face with international buyers, trade partners, and industry leaders from the world's most celebrated wine destinations.

Kim Thorp, GWC Hawke’s Bay Ambassador, says it is a wonderful opportunity. “This conference will showcase New Zealand to an influential global audience in a way that no marketing campaign could replicate. The connections made here, the stories told, and the impressions left will resonate across international markets for years to come.

“We know how competitive the global wine and tourism marketplace is. Events like this, where relationships are built in person, where New Zealand’s story can be told and tasted, are invaluable. I would encourage anyone working in our wine or tourism industries to consider what being in that room could mean for their business and for the sector as a whole.”

The conference is supported by Hawke's Bay Tourism, Hawke's Bay Wine, Hastings District Council, Napier City Council, and Hawke's Bay Airport. A programme of exclusive pre and post-conference delegate experiences has also been developed in partnership with local businesses, including Craggy Range Winery, Porters Boutique Hotel, Wallingford Homestead, and Hawke's Bay Experiences.

W: Details at gwchawkesbay26.com