City, University of Otago land World Leisure Conference

DUNEDIN and the University of Otago have successfully bid for the 2022 World Leisure Congress, which will bring between 500 and 1000 international delegates to the city.

The 10day event, which has a focus on ‘‘learn well, live well’’, will be staged at the University of Otago and is expected to attract leisure practitioners, policymakers and academics.

It is expected to bring an estimated $1.7 million contribution to the local economy.

The successful bid was a col laboration between Enterprise Dunedin and the University of Otago, supported by Tourism New Zealand.

Business events tourism adviser for Enterprise Dunedin, Nicole Carvell, said the conference was relevant to New Zealand, where cities like Dunedin were seeking to transform their communities by creating sustainable leisure environments.

‘‘The conference will shine the light on the exceptional leisure activities available here.’’

Head of the University of Otago’s department of tourism, Prof Neil Carr, said the congress was the largest leisure academic conference in the world.

‘‘For us, it’s a huge opportunity to reinforce that Otago is one of the leading tourism/leisure academic departments in the world.’’

The twoyearly conference is overseen by the World Leisure Organisation, a membershipbased NGO that promotes the importance of available and accessible leisure pursuits as an integral part of human health and wellbeing.