Gold Coast rolls out new runway for marathon competitors

The Gold Coast rolled out more than the red carpet when Tourism Minister Margaret Keech welcomed more than 220 Japanese marathon runners at Gold Coast Airport today.

The competitors in Sunday’s Gold Coast Marathon were on the first international flight to touchdown on the airport’s new runway extension.

“This is a very special day for tourism on the Gold Coast,” Mrs Keech said.

“We haven’t just rolled out the red carpet for these visitors, we’ve rolled out a whole new runway.

“And I hope they will be the first of many international visitors to fly directly into the Coast.”

Mrs Keech said the runners arrived on a flight diverted especially for marathon competitors.

“This is a sign of just how popular and important this event has become.

“Who would have thought five years ago that international flights would have to be diverted just to bring competitors?

“The marathon has become such a huge event and registrations are up significantly again this year.

“We could have close to 16,000 runners across the board, which is a fantastic figure.

“It’s also heartening to see the number of Japanese competitors has grown by around 20 per cent, with about 1200 set to take part.”

This year’s event has again attracted several high-profile Japanese athletes including Yuko Arimori, a dual Olympic medalist Gold Coast Marathon winner, who arrived on today’d flight.

“Having athletes of Yuko Arimori’s calibre coming here to compete further lifts the profile of this already fantastic event,” said Mrs Keech.

“It is great to see her here again this year and I thank her for her support.”

Mrs Keech said the Gold Coast was clearly making its mark as an events capital, and the airport runway extension would only increase the city’s pulling power over international visitors.

“The first element of a successful tourism industry is getting visitors to the destination,” she said.

“Air access is vital, and the possibilities this runway extension provides are limitless.

“Today’s flight has come in from Japan, but the extension means the airport can now accommodate direct flights from China, the Middle East, India, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, and, as new technology aircraft become available, even the West Coast of the USA.

“One additional 767 flight per day will provide an additional 100,000 seats into the Gold Coast each year.

“The potential flow on benefits for our hotels, restaurants, attractions and our tour operators are staggering.”

Mrs Keech said the latest International Visitor Survey showed the Gold Coast was more popular than ever.

“Nearly forty per cent of all international holiday visitors to Queensland made a stop at the Gold Coast in the year ending March 2007,” she said.

“And nearly 900,000 international visitors came to the Gold Coast in those 12 months.

“Today marks the start of a new era of tourism on the Gold Coast, an industry that continues to grow and grow.

“I know events like the marathon and tourism infrastructure development such as the runway extension will continue to contribute to the city’s great success.”

Media contact: Jo Whitaker 3224 2005