New Zealand’s two leading corporate hospitality companies are to jointly operate the official corporate hospitality programme for the British and Irish Lions tour next year, the New Zealand Rugby Union has announced.

The joint venture between Capital Events and Corporate Host is known as Lions Hospitality 2005 Limited.

New Zealand Rugby Union Deputy CEO Steve Tew said Capital Events and Corporate Host are well established and reputable New Zealand companies who have knowledge and expertise of the local market.

‘This is an exclusive appointment by the NZRU and, as such, Lions Hospitality 2005 will be the only official provider of hospitality for the tour,’ he said.

Capital Events General Manager Warren Barclay said the official hospitality programme would cover the entire Lions tour.

‘In scale, the official hospitality programme will be second only to a Rugby World Cup. The estimated number of hospitality clients around the 2005 Lions Tour will be in excess of 40,000,’ he said.

Corporate Host Managing Director Ian Fraser said the two companies collectively managed all hospitality to rugby in New Zealand through their contracts with provincial unions.

‘As well, Corporate Host has been involved in large scale non-rugby events such as the America’s Cup, the Sydney Olympics and Commonwealth Games,’ he said.

The official Lions 2005 hospitality programme will be

For more information contact:

Ian Fraser, Corporate Host Managing Director
ph: 09 623 8084 or 021 906 938

Warren Barclay, Capital Events General Manager
ph: 09 912 1679 or 021 442 494

Joe Locke, NZRU Media Manager
ph: 04 494 0778 or 027 441 8461