The Hospitality Summit 2026, held on 12 March brought our industry into the heart of Parliament — creating a direct line between hospitality businesses and the people shaping the policies that affect them.
Delivered by the Restaurant Association, in partnership with Hospitality New Zealand, the Summit is built on the idea that real progress happens when industry and Government sit at the same table, focused on solutions.
What is Hospitality Summit?
The Hospitality Summit is a working forum. We bring together 55 operators from across the country, alongside Ministers, officials, and agencies, to talk openly about what’s happening on the ground — what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to shift. The discussion focuses on solution.
It’s also about recognising the role hospitality plays, keeping the country humming, shaping the vibrancy of our communities and forming a core part of New Zealand’s identity.
That role is increasingly recognised at a Government level — not just as part of tourism, but as a sector with real further potential to drive growth, jobs, and regional development.
Building momentum from the first Summit
When we held the inaugural Hospitality Summit in 2024, the goal was to move beyond talking about issues, and into working through them together – industry and Government.
That approach has delivered.
From 64 recommendation from the first Summit, more than 20 are now either complete or well progressed. That includes movement on long-standing pressure points like regulation, alcohol licensing, Easter trading, and Holidays Act reform — as well as new initiatives like the hospitality data portal and sector-specific wellbeing resources.
We’ve also seen long-advocated opportunities gain traction — including the arrival of Michelin to New Zealand, which sends a strong signal internationally about the quality of our food and hospitality offering.
None of this has happened in isolation. Much of this progress “gathered pace from the engagement in the room” — from operators sharing real experiences, and from a more coordinated partnership with Government.
Grounded in the reality of running a business
The strength of the Summit comes from who is in the room. Operators who are navigating the day-to-day realities of running a hospitality business — cost pressures, compliance, staffing, and shifting demand. People who understand where the friction points are, and where change would make a tangible difference.
Those perspectives are important – they ensure that discussions stay practical, and that the focus remains on removing barriers, unlocking growth, and creating an environment where businesses can succeed.
Partnership that drives progress
A defining feature of the Summit is the level of engagement from Government.
Ministers, MPs, and officials are part of the conversation — hearing directly from operators and working through the issues alongside us.
We also want to acknowledge the Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, Louise Upston, for her support in bringing the Summit together and for her ongoing commitment to engaging directly with the sector. That support has been instrumental in creating the space for these conversations to happen — and, importantly, for them to translate into action.
That support is critical. It creates a clearer pathway from problem to solution, and it’s helping to build momentum behind changes that have been needed for some time.
We are seeing a shared commitment to backing the sector — recognising that a stronger hospitality industry contributes directly to a stronger tourism offering, more vibrant communities, and a more resilient economy.
Where this leads
The Summit itself is just one part of the process.
What comes out of those discussions is captured and now shaped into a set of recommendations that we take forward as part of our advocacy. From there, the focus remains on delivery — continuing to work with Government to progress changes and track outcomes.
As we said on the day, what happens in that room has real consequences. And increasingly, we’re seeing those consequences play out in policy and progress.
Continuing the work
The Hospitality Summit is now an established part of how we represent hospitality at a national level.
It gives the sector a clear, collective voice — and a direct role in shaping the settings that will support its future.
And as that partnership with Government continues to strengthen, so too does the opportunity to build momentum — and deliver the kind of change the industry has been calling for.
More information:
- Partnership driving hospitality momentum – Hon. Louise Upston