New Zealand is set to take its place on the global wine and tourism stage this October 2026 when Hawke’s Bay hosts the 26th Great Wine Capitals International Annual Conference.
The programme has officially launched, with registrations now open for delegates from across the international wine and tourism community.
From 18 to 22 October 2026, industry professionals, travel trade representatives, and media from Great Wine Capitals around the world, including Bordeaux, Mendoza, Adelaide and Napa Valley, will converge on Hawke’s Bay for five days of industry sessions, innovation showcases, cultural immersion, and world-class wine experiences.
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.
Kim Thorp, GWC Hawke’s Bay Ambassador, says this is a wonderful opportunity for New Zealand.
“Hawke’s Bay has everything this event demands: world-class wines, extraordinary landscapes, a rich cultural story, and an industry that is genuinely world-leading,” he says.
“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.”
Under the theme ‘A World of New’, the 2026 conference programme has been designed to deliver new cultures, new wines, new experiences, new connections, new business opportunities, and new insights to every delegate who attends.
The five-day programme includes keynote presentations, roundtable discussions, travel trade meetings, structured networking, hosted dinners, winery visits, and curated regional experiences that showcase the very best of Hawke’s Bay and New Zealand.
President of the Great Wine Capitals Global Network and Deputy Chief Executive of the Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Jo Collins, says The Great Wine Capitals Global Network has been built on a simple but powerful idea: collaboration, not competition.
“At a time when the global wine sector is navigating both challenges and transformation, our conference in Hawke’s Bay offers a vital opportunity to come together, share knowledge, and strengthen one another,” she says.
“Under the theme ‘A World of New’, it reflects exactly what our industry needs right now -fresh thinking, open dialogue, and a commitment to turn challenges into opportunities. This is more than a conference; it’s a chance to shape the future of wine tourism collectively.”
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.
Full programme details and registration are available at gwchawkesbay26.com
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