Regional Events Promotion Fund

The fund is available to Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs), councils representing regions that do not have an RTO, councils within the major visitor gateway centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown) which do not receive tourism-related services from their RTO, and Waipā, Waikato, Matamata-Piako District Councils.

For the purposes of this fund the following RTOs are not eligible:

• Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
• Hamilton & Waikato Tourism
• WellingtonNZ
• ChristchurchNZ
• Destination Queenstown.

Applicants to the REPF must be an RTO (excluding those listed above), a local Council not represented by an RTO or a council within the major visitor gateway centres which does not receive tourism related services from their RTO, and Waipā, Waikato, Matamata-Piako District Councils. 

Event organisers are not eligible to apply directly to the fund and should engage with their local RTO or council. The decision to apply for REPF funding will be made by the RTO or Council.

About the fund

The REPF is available to events which will deliver a high return on investment and increase the likelihood of encouraging visitors to explore New Zealand beyond the key tourism locations. The intention of the funding is to augment the planned promotion of the event i.e. to provide up to 50% of additional funding to enhance the existing promotional budget for the event.

Funding can be used for RTOs to undertake additional promotion of their event or for the RTO to provide to an event organiser (via a third-party contract) to undertake additional promotion of an event.

Events should, where possible, align with the Destination Management plan for the region.

Applicants can apply for 1 or more events. The minimum amount of funding available for each event is $5,000 and the total funding for additional event promotion costs across all approved events for that RTO/Council, is a maximum of $237,500 per round.

NOTE: If a final report has not been received for an event which received funding in Round 1, that event will not be considered for Round 2 funding.

Applicants can apply for up to 50% of their existing promotional budget to undertake additional promotion of an event, with some flexibility for financially constrained RTOs/councils

In-kind contributions are not permitted.

REPF funding should not be used to substitute the existing promotional budget. It is to enhance the amount available for promotional purposes.

Example

Funding can be used by the RTO to assist with administration costs incurred managing the funding process. It is considered up to 5% is reasonable should RTOs choose to claim these costs. This must be deducted by the RTO from the funding allocated to the event. It is not additional to the allocated funding.  

There will be 2 funding rounds:

• Round 1 – for events taking place between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025 (closed)
• Round 2 – for events taking place between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026

Note: Events taking place between 25 December and 7 January are excluded in both years.

Applications for Round 2 will be open from 3 April 2025 to 16 April 2025.

Who can apply

The REPF is open to

• Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs)

• Councils representing regions in New Zealand that do not have an RTO

• Councils within the major visitor gateway centres (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown) which do not receive tourism-related services from their RTO and Waipā, Waikato, Matamata-Piako District Councils.   

The following RTOs in the gateway regions are not eligible:

• Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
• Hamilton & Waikato Tourism
• WellingtonNZ
• ChristchurchNZ
• Destination Queenstown 

How to apply

1. Complete the REPF Application Form

2. Submit your completed application form to regionalevents@mbie.govt.nz

Fund criteria

The criteria are:

• Funding is for additional event promotion costs only i.e. not to substitute the existing budget (see example in co-funding section)
• Events can be either new or established, recurring events (the event must be able to measure return on investment where possible)
• Events must be ticketed/paid or registration events
• Events must not occur in the period 25 December to 7 January.
• The minimum amount of funding available for each event is $5,000.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed using the following criteria:

The likelihood of the event:

• to attract more out-of-region visitors
• to attract additional multi-day visitors
• will deliver economic impact for visitors in the host region
• to grow tourism /benefits attendance for the applicant’s region

Events the fund will not support

The REPF will not provide funding for:

• Free events

• A&P shows

• Craft markets, farmers markets

• Santa parades

• Conferences, school events, university events

• Touring music and international acts

• Major commercial sporting events such as cricket and rugby fixtures

• Events which occur in gateway regions administered by the following RTOs:
  • Tātaki Auckland Unlimited
  • Hamilton & Waikato Tourism
  • WellingtonNZ
  • ChristchurchNZ
  • Destination Queenstown Events

However, councils in these regions which do not receive tourism related services from their RTO and Waipā, Waikato, Matamata-Piako Councils may apply.

• Events which are also receiving (within this Round 2 funding period) other central government funding including:
  • Major Events Fund or Creative and Cultural Events Incubator
  • Ministry for Culture & Heritage
  • Regional Events Fund
    
    
• Events that take place in the New Year summer period (25 December to 7 January).