Chatting about The Big Splash are (from left) Australian buyer Leanne Constantino; Kat Hicks, Rainbow Springs; Renee Teddy and Dale McCourt, both from the Agrodome.

Rainbow Springs' new attraction The Big Splash was a big hit with the MICE market at the recent MEETINGS 2012 tradeshow in Auckland.

Kat Hicks, Rainbow Springs Event Manager says there was a lot of interest in the park and the water ride, particularly from the Australian market.
"My appointment schedule was full and everyone knew about the ride and was very excited about it, which is great.  As a result I'm following up on a number of very strong booking leads."

The two-day annual tradeshow, hosted by Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), at the SkyCity Auckland Convention Centre, attracted 188 international buyers from 9 countries and a strong contingent of domestic buyers.

Kat adds that the quality of appointments with buyers was very high and it was great to see a lot of new faces at the show.

Rotorua's Rainbow Springs offers conference groups some very special entertainment and function venues on site.  These include the newly extended Wairere Cafe, which is perfect for a cocktail function and located near The Big Splash queuing race and splash-down viewing area.

"This area is also adjacent to the picturesque Waterfall Lakes area, which when illuminated at night looks stunning," Kat says.

The park's new multi-million dollar Big Splash water ride is the cherry on the top when it comes to the 'wow' factor for conference delegates and is available for exclusive group hire after 5pm.  The ride is a nine-minute narrated journey through time and the ecological evolution of New Zealand. It features state-of-the-art animation bringing to life dinosaurs, moa and the haast eagle, and an adrenalin boosting plunge at the end.

Rainbow Springs also has some other special places for functions including a lawn adjacent to the cafe big enough to accommodate a marquee and a covered, tiered 384 seat outdoor auditorium suitable for plenary sessions, award ceremonies and performances.