New Zealand's biggest annual tourism event is focusing on how to attract tourists back to Christchurch.
The three day TRENZ conference is being held in Queenstown.
Christchurch hotels have lost more than 1 million guest nights following the February earthquakes.
Canterbury Tourism chief executive Tim Hunter says the number of Australian tourists fell by 37%, and getting them back is a major focus for the city.
Seven hotels have confirmed they will open in the next two years and a site for the new convention centre will be finalised within months.
Mr Hunter says the site of the convention centre is important because developers want to position hotels close to it.
