New flights worth $100m to Cairns
EXPERTS estimate up to $100 million a year from the extra international flights which start arriving in Cairns from next week.
Cairns Airport chief executive officer Stephen Gregg said the new international services coming on line underlined the confidence the airlines had in the region.
Additional Continental daily services from Guam to Cairns for a month start arriving on Wednesday next week followed by the first Pacific Blue twice-weekly flights from Auckland on March 23, the resumption of four flights a week from Osaka by Jetstar on April 1 and 12 proposed QantasLink services to Port Moresby from July 1.
"They are a valuable boost for the regional economy with the potential to generate approximately $100 million per year in visitor expenditure," Mr Gregg said.
"We are really excited to be welcoming a new international airline to Cairns airport as Pacific Blue commences its twice-weekly Auckland-Cairns service on March 23."
Mr Gregg said the services would bring an extra 360 visitors a week.
"The reinstatement of Jetstar services between Cairns and Osaka means our region once again has direct access to the important western Japan tourism market," he said.
"The four services per week will allow for an additional 1200 visitors to the region."
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Rob Giason said there was quiet confidence within the industry the flights would allow operators to claw back the 106,000 overseas visitors lost in 2009 and the $194 million they would have spent.
"The airlines are providing the seats and now it’s up to us to sell them," he said.
Mr Giason said there would be an extra marketing focus on New Zealand and Japan with the Continental flights also bringing in tourists from Japan via Guam. Jetstar group communications manager Simon Westaway said the forward bookings were looking good.
He said the A330-200 service had 303 seats and JetSaver Light fares were available from $179 one way.
Pacific Blue marketing and communications manager Phil Boeyen said forward bookings were "solid".
He said the inaugural Boeing 737-800 flights would include media and travel industry guests.
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Bonus: Extra international flights which start arriving in Cairns from next week will add $100 million a year to the economy.
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