Published Thursday, 28 February, 2008 at 01:58 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
Cairns flying high on domestic airline seat increase
Visitors soared into Cairns during 2007, with the region experiencing an increase of 2000 domestic airline seats a week over the year to January 2008, Tourism and Regional Development Minister Desley Boyle announced today.
In Parliament this week, Ms Boyle, who is also the Minister for Cairns, welcomed the 6 per cent annual increase - to around 38,000 inbound domestic seats per week – saying it was great news for the region.
“With an additional 2000 domestic airline seats a week available to Cairns, this can only mean good news for tourism to Tropical North Queensland,” Ms Boyle said.
“In the past year, the Queensland Government has welcomed more Virgin Blue services from Sydney to Cairns, more Qantas services from Melbourne to Cairns and an additional Adelaide-Cairns flight with Jetstar.
“This change in domestic capacity on trunk routes – those major routes such as Brisbane to Cairns – is extremely positive given the international capacity crunch currently affecting Tropical North Queensland.
“This domestic airline seat increase to the region ensures that international travellers landing in Brisbane or the southern states are adequately dispersed to Queensland’s regions such as Cairns.
“These figures are testament to all the effort and innovation which has been injected into growing airline capacity in the region and there is only more great news to come.”
Ms Boyle said from March 18, 2008, Jetstar would grow Melbourne-Cairns services from 7 to 11 frequencies per week with new, larger A321 aircraft to be introduced.
On the same day, Jetstar’s A320 services on the Sydney-Cairns route will rise from 7 services per week to double daily frequency.
She said from mid 2008, Jetstar’s Brisbane-Cairns services would increase from three times to four times daily.
“Jetstar also continues to build on its existing aircraft and crew base in Cairns, with a second A320 aircraft to be based in the region from February 2008,” Ms Boyle said.
“There has never been a more competitive and yet more exciting time to be involved in the aviation and tourism industries in Queensland.
"While there has been a softening of growth in international tourism recently, the continued growth of domestic tourism particularly in regional Queensland is very encouraging."
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
28 February 2008
In Parliament this week, Ms Boyle, who is also the Minister for Cairns, welcomed the 6 per cent annual increase - to around 38,000 inbound domestic seats per week – saying it was great news for the region.
“With an additional 2000 domestic airline seats a week available to Cairns, this can only mean good news for tourism to Tropical North Queensland,” Ms Boyle said.
“In the past year, the Queensland Government has welcomed more Virgin Blue services from Sydney to Cairns, more Qantas services from Melbourne to Cairns and an additional Adelaide-Cairns flight with Jetstar.
“This change in domestic capacity on trunk routes – those major routes such as Brisbane to Cairns – is extremely positive given the international capacity crunch currently affecting Tropical North Queensland.
“This domestic airline seat increase to the region ensures that international travellers landing in Brisbane or the southern states are adequately dispersed to Queensland’s regions such as Cairns.
“These figures are testament to all the effort and innovation which has been injected into growing airline capacity in the region and there is only more great news to come.”
Ms Boyle said from March 18, 2008, Jetstar would grow Melbourne-Cairns services from 7 to 11 frequencies per week with new, larger A321 aircraft to be introduced.
On the same day, Jetstar’s A320 services on the Sydney-Cairns route will rise from 7 services per week to double daily frequency.
She said from mid 2008, Jetstar’s Brisbane-Cairns services would increase from three times to four times daily.
“Jetstar also continues to build on its existing aircraft and crew base in Cairns, with a second A320 aircraft to be based in the region from February 2008,” Ms Boyle said.
“There has never been a more competitive and yet more exciting time to be involved in the aviation and tourism industries in Queensland.
"While there has been a softening of growth in international tourism recently, the continued growth of domestic tourism particularly in regional Queensland is very encouraging."
Ends
Media contact: 3224 2007 or 3225 1005
Tourism Queensland: 3535 5010
28 February 2008