Business get behind New Zealand Inc

Exports to Rugby World Cup nations are important. Photo / Kenny Rodger

The response from Kiwi enterprises to an organisation aiming to matchmake them with like-minded rugby visitors is overwhelming, says the organiser.

Bridget Abernethy, manager of the NZ2011 Business Club, said 3204 overseas visitors and 3530 New Zealand members had registered, with 453 events planned for during the tournament ranging from fishing to larger networking occasions.

"I've gone round every region and spoken to lots and lots of groups of business people and I have been absolutely amazed at the way in which New Zealand businesses have stood up," Abernethy said.

"They're very clear that in many cases they are doing it for New Zealand Inc, not for themselves, and that in itself I find amazing. I think we've all been blown away, really, by the power of this business club."

The free-to-join business club was set up by NZ2011 - a Government organisation tasked with helping the country benefit from the World Cup - with events hosted by local member organisations, which the club will match with visitors using a database including interests and background.

"What we've said to all of our business club members is try and think long-term about this, don't think about the immediate sale or the immediate gain, think about the longer term, building a network, building connections and really leveraging those connections in the future to build something that is good for New Zealand, or your region, or your business."

Business club member Ruth Schumann, who with her husband owns North Shore confectionery retail company The Liquorice Den, is offering to host South Africans and take them to visit local artisan and food markets, and the festival Taste of New Zealand.

"If the guests have a great time they go back and tell other people and other people come and have a great time and can possibly encourage more people to invest here or to come and live here," Schumann said.

"It's about just putting something back really ... rather than expecting to make any money."

Schumann, who is originally from South Africa, was not looking to export and did not expect the club would generate business for her company.

"The more people that we can help have a good time, the better," she said. "If every small business did one little thing for one visitor it would make a huge difference, wouldn't it."

The business club includes 337 people registered from the United States, 548 from France, 113 from Argentina and 54 from Japan.

"It's certainly quite interesting because we tend not to think of the Americans as being a huge rugby-playing nation particularly, but they're obviously coming to the Rugby World Cup,"Abernethy said.

"There's been no difficulty in making sure that every one of our international guests gets an invitation to something."

A business club hub at the Cloud venue on Auckland's Queens Wharf has a lounge where members can meet between 3pm and 5pm every day.

People can register for the business club online at www.nz2011.govt.nz and at the Cloud.