Charter flights to deliver 14,000 Japanese students to Cairns
Published Monday, 07 January, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
More than 14,000 Japanese school students will visit Cairns over the next three years as part of a school excursion program to Tropical North Queensland, Tourism Minister Desley Boyle announced today.
Ms Boyle said the high school students from the Japanese island of Kyushu would visit Cairns and the Tropical North on organised school excursions, via special charter flights with Japan Airlines.
“This school group charter program is tremendous news for Japanese tourism in Tropical North Queensland and will deliver more than $21 million to the local economy,” Ms Boyle said.
“While they are here, the students will experience a taste of the Tropical North through local tourism and cultural activities.
“Their time will be split between the many wonderful Cairns hotels and farm stays on the Atherton Tablelands.
“The program will run from 2008 – 2010, bringing in more than 4,600 students each year to Cairns.
“Not only do these flights help promote Queensland as a school excursion destination, but they also provide thousands of Japanese students with a lifetime of memories and plenty of reasons to return in the future!
“Japan has traditionally been one of our state’s strongest international markets, but it’s been widely recognised that Japanese visitation has declined nationally in recent years.
“New innovative ways of promoting Queensland and bringing Japanese visitors to the Tropical North are essential to help combat this dip, and these charter flights are a perfect example.
“The program will include 12 Japan Airlines charter flights from Fukuoka to Cairns each November, which is the peak season for overseas school travel in Japan.
“As well as a fantastic experience for these students, these visits also represent the growing number of international study tourists to the region each year, which is a perfect school excursion and study tour destination.
“Over the year to September 2007, there were more than 85,000 international study visitors to Queensland, an increase of 13 percent from the year before.”
Ms Boyle said the program was initiated by major Japanese wholesaler JTB Kyushu and also supported by Tourism Queensland, Tourism Australia and Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
“The State Government and Queensland’s tourism industry has been actively pushing for flights such as these for some time, and recognises the need for an aggressive approach to the Japan market,” she said.
“These flights also represent the first direct services between Fukuoka and Cairns since Australian Airlines flights on the route ended in March 2006.
“In the year to September 2007, more than 362,000 Japanese visitors came to Queensland, and 211,000 of them visited Tropical North Queensland.”
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007
Ms Boyle said the high school students from the Japanese island of Kyushu would visit Cairns and the Tropical North on organised school excursions, via special charter flights with Japan Airlines.
“This school group charter program is tremendous news for Japanese tourism in Tropical North Queensland and will deliver more than $21 million to the local economy,” Ms Boyle said.
“While they are here, the students will experience a taste of the Tropical North through local tourism and cultural activities.
“Their time will be split between the many wonderful Cairns hotels and farm stays on the Atherton Tablelands.
“The program will run from 2008 – 2010, bringing in more than 4,600 students each year to Cairns.
“Not only do these flights help promote Queensland as a school excursion destination, but they also provide thousands of Japanese students with a lifetime of memories and plenty of reasons to return in the future!
“Japan has traditionally been one of our state’s strongest international markets, but it’s been widely recognised that Japanese visitation has declined nationally in recent years.
“New innovative ways of promoting Queensland and bringing Japanese visitors to the Tropical North are essential to help combat this dip, and these charter flights are a perfect example.
“The program will include 12 Japan Airlines charter flights from Fukuoka to Cairns each November, which is the peak season for overseas school travel in Japan.
“As well as a fantastic experience for these students, these visits also represent the growing number of international study tourists to the region each year, which is a perfect school excursion and study tour destination.
“Over the year to September 2007, there were more than 85,000 international study visitors to Queensland, an increase of 13 percent from the year before.”
Ms Boyle said the program was initiated by major Japanese wholesaler JTB Kyushu and also supported by Tourism Queensland, Tourism Australia and Tourism Tropical North Queensland.
“The State Government and Queensland’s tourism industry has been actively pushing for flights such as these for some time, and recognises the need for an aggressive approach to the Japan market,” she said.
“These flights also represent the first direct services between Fukuoka and Cairns since Australian Airlines flights on the route ended in March 2006.
“In the year to September 2007, more than 362,000 Japanese visitors came to Queensland, and 211,000 of them visited Tropical North Queensland.”
Ends
Media contact: 3225 1005 or 3224 2007