About the Symposium

Welcome to XVII ISBCW 2026, held in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Rotorua is a destination that will surprise and enchant you. Located in the central North Island, Rotorua is connected by air to all major cities and is no more than three hours’ drive from Auckland and six hours’ drive from Wellington.

For our international delegates, we recommend flying into Auckland and booking a connecting flight or road transfer from there. It is also possible to fly to Christchurch in the South Island and book a connecting flight or make a longer road trip from there.

accommodation & conference venue

The conference will be held at Millennium Hotel.

Located right next to Lake Rotorua and close to the city centre, there are a wide range of accommodation options across their 227 rooms that will be made available to delegates once registration opens. We strongly encourage all delegates to stay at this venue to maximise the opportunities for networking. However, there is other accommodation close by to suit all budgets. 

Millennium Hotel Rotorua

New Zealand immigration – visa details

Depending on where you are visiting from, you may need to apply for a visa to enter New Zealand.

Some people including citizens of waiver countries can travel to New Zealand with an NZeTA instead of a visa. The processing time is significantly less than a visa and is valid for 2 years.

Check if you need an NZeTA or visa online.

Visas can be applied for online and take 5-6 weeks to process. More information and application details can be found on the New Zealand Immigration website.

post-conference field trip

Rarotonga

Join us for an extraordinary post-conference field trip to Rarotonga, just a short four-hour flight away. Delve into the pivotal role of biocontrol as the ultimate solution for managing widespread tropical Pacific weeds. As the list of species in need of attention grows, discover impactful projects in the Cook Islands, where proven approaches have rapidly achieved remarkable results.