Published Friday, 18 April, 2008 at 05:43 PM
Minister for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry
The Honourable Desley Boyle
New air seat capacity figures sky high for Cairns
Australia’s thriving low-cost carriers provided around half of the 39,196 air seats into Cairns during the first week of April, Minister for Tourism Desley Boyle said today.
Ms Boyle said the new air capacity figures from Tourism Queensland showed a 10 percent increase in the number of seats offered into the area compared with the same week last year.
“This is great news for Tropical North Queensland – the demand for further capacity is definitely there and is high on the agenda of Tourism Queensland and the local industry in their talks with the airlines,” Ms Boyle said.
“Compared to this time last year, there are an extra 3,574 seats per week on offer for visitors to fly to Cairns.
“Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue have all increased flights and capacity into Queensland, and with the introduction of Tiger Airways, numbers have been further boosted.”
Ms Boyle said there were now an extra 36,800 air seats into Queensland each week – 15 percent more than during the same period last year.
”Overall the results are positive and reflect Australians’ increasing love affair with air travel and low cost carrier deals,” Ms Boyle said.
”Remarkably, there were an estimated 286,800 domestic seats into Queensland during the first week of April this year.
“Adequate seat capacity and competitive prices are essential in growing our tourism industry because, if visitors can’t find seats into a destination at a reasonable price, it doesn’t matter how good your tourism product is.”
Ms Boyle said the figures revealed the greatest growth had come from Jetstar, which is currently offering around 70,800 seats per week into the state – 22 percent more than at the same time last year.
Virgin Blue is providing around 106,400 seats per week, 12 percent more than last year and Qantas’ capacity has increased seven percent to an estimated 103,700 seats per week.
And with the launch of Tiger Airways in Australia last November, 5760 new weekly seats are on offer.
Media Contact: Marcus Taylor 3225 1005 or Kirstie Maier 3224 2007
Ms Boyle said the new air capacity figures from Tourism Queensland showed a 10 percent increase in the number of seats offered into the area compared with the same week last year.
“This is great news for Tropical North Queensland – the demand for further capacity is definitely there and is high on the agenda of Tourism Queensland and the local industry in their talks with the airlines,” Ms Boyle said.
“Compared to this time last year, there are an extra 3,574 seats per week on offer for visitors to fly to Cairns.
“Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Blue have all increased flights and capacity into Queensland, and with the introduction of Tiger Airways, numbers have been further boosted.”
Ms Boyle said there were now an extra 36,800 air seats into Queensland each week – 15 percent more than during the same period last year.
”Overall the results are positive and reflect Australians’ increasing love affair with air travel and low cost carrier deals,” Ms Boyle said.
”Remarkably, there were an estimated 286,800 domestic seats into Queensland during the first week of April this year.
“Adequate seat capacity and competitive prices are essential in growing our tourism industry because, if visitors can’t find seats into a destination at a reasonable price, it doesn’t matter how good your tourism product is.”
Ms Boyle said the figures revealed the greatest growth had come from Jetstar, which is currently offering around 70,800 seats per week into the state – 22 percent more than at the same time last year.
Virgin Blue is providing around 106,400 seats per week, 12 percent more than last year and Qantas’ capacity has increased seven percent to an estimated 103,700 seats per week.
And with the launch of Tiger Airways in Australia last November, 5760 new weekly seats are on offer.
Media Contact: Marcus Taylor 3225 1005 or Kirstie Maier 3224 2007