“We are proud Fieldays remains a vibrant platform to learn, make new bonds and fuel Aotearoa’s leadership in this pivotal sector.”
The considerable accomplishments of Fieldays across its pillars of education, innovation and globalisation have cemented the event’s continued relevance, she said.
Initiatives such as the Fieldays Hauora Taiwhenua Health and Wellbeing Hub, now in its 7th year, once again not only prove to be advantageous and valuable for visitors throughout the four-day event but also have a wider positive impact on the healthcare system due to many visitors attending Fieldays from regions with restricted access to health services and providers.
“By bringing these critical health resources to Fieldays, the event helps address some of the barriers to medical care faced by those living in remote areas,” Ms Vernon said.
“Ensuring the health and wellbeing of our farming communities is imperative, and we are proud of how our Fieldays health initiatives are increasing access and saving lives,” said NZNFS chief executive Peter Nation.
“We are committed to continuing to leverage the massive platform of Fieldays to connect people with the healthcare they desperately need.”
Although the event did not attract as many visitors as the record-high gate entries in 2021, the combined attendance for the 2022 and 2023 events surpassed 180,000 in just seven months. This highlights the ongoing popularity of Fieldays and its important role in the industry.
“As an event with nationwide importance, Fieldays substantially contributes to the economies of the local region as well as the entire country,” he said.
Those visitors through the gates in June 2023 led to an increase in spending across crucial sectors, notably equipment sales, contributing to a total sales revenue of $482m for New Zealand.
"Of that amount, $184m flowed directly into the Waikato region,” Mr Nation said.
“Additionally, this boost generated an extra $223m in GDP for the overall New Zealand economy, with $87m specifically benefiting the Waikato.
“As the events industry rebounds both nationally and internationally, Mystery Creek Events Centre has experienced both a surge of new event bookings and the return of familiar clients to the venue.
“Several flagship events that have taken a hiatus in recent years have now confirmed they will be making a comeback to the Events Centre. With its calendar filling, the venue is both adaptable and resilient in welcoming first-time and recurring customers alike.”
Mr Nation said the Society has once again demonstrated itself as a leader in sustainability and community enrichment, recognised at the Waikato Business Awards by winning the Sustainability Award for embracing sustainability as an organisation in daily operations.
Leveraging the momentum of this year’s achievements, the New Zealand National Fieldays Society enters 2024 with an ambitious vision focused on greater connectedness, innovation, and prosperity for agribusiness across New Zealand.
Site applications for the 2024 event have already opened, with strong early demand demonstrating excitement and eagerness amongst exhibitors and partners to build on the successes of this year.
To read the full 2023 Annual Report head to NZNFS/annual-reports
