New Zealand's forestry and wood products sector is set to come to the fore during Rugby World Cup 2011, with a Forestry and Wood Industries Festival planned in Rotorua to showcase the sector to Government officials, companies and visitors from around the world.
The Festival is planned to take place from 5 to 9 September in Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty. The Festival will include a range of activities, conferences, exhibitions, displays and competitions leading up to Rotorua's first Rugby World Cup Game on Saturday 10 September.
Grant Kilby, the General Manager of the Destination Rotorua Economic Development Unit, says the Rugby World Cup offers enormous opportunities to industries across New Zealand - not just tourism - and the forestry sector also stands to significantly benefit from the high profile international rugby event.
"The latest estimations indicate that more than 85,000 visitors are expected to travel to New Zealand during the event, while we could expect to see a great majority of those visitors to Rotorua and the wider Bay of Plenty during the Rugby World Cup event".
"This is the single biggest opportunity the New Zealand forestry and wood products sector will have in the next decade to reach potential targets and markets around the world, and we simply have to make the very most of that opportunity".
The Forestry and Wood Industries Festival will include Forest Industries 2011 (FI2011) - the four yearly forest expo; a Wood Solutions Symposium, the National Wood Sector Conference with international delegates focusing on market-led wood applications.
It will involve input and support from the Rotorua District Council, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and key groups from across the forestry sector. For further information on the Forestry and Wood Industries Festival go to www.forestevents.co.nz
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