CHRISTCHUCH, New Zealand, 2015-8-17 — /Travel PR News/ — Strong demand for the South Island has seen Qantas add extra flights through the main gateway, Christchurch Airport, over the coming summer.
South Island travellers will have the choice of an extra 48 return services between Christchurch and Brisbane and 15 return services between Christchurch and Sydney.
Christchurch Airport Chief Commercial Officer – Aeronautical Justin Watson says the extra flights will help meet the huge Australian demand for the South Island, which there haven’t been enough flights to meet.
“The Qantas additional 12-week programme, with four flights per week, will bring an additional 16,128 seats between Christchurch and Brisbane, 12% more seats than the same period last year,” he says.
“Last year we had almost 60,000 visitors from Queensland fly into the South Island via Christchurch, which was 5.6% more than the previous year, so there is no doubt the demand is there and growing.
“Forecasts suggest the service will bring another 3,200 visitors to the South Island, most of them Australians. Christchurch is the most productive gateway for regions across the South Island, because more than 85% of international visitors go on to visit other regions. We also know these visitors spend up to six times more per day than local residents do, so they provide a massive boost to local consumption.
“Qantas hasn’t flown between Christchurch and Brisbane for ten years, so the return of the service offers travellers competition and choices. Importantly, it also offers a very strong one-stop international connection between Japan and the South Island through Brisbane. We encourage tourism operators to make the most of this connection to ensure this service grows.
“Any way you look at these extra services, they are a massive vote of confidence by Qantas in the market between Queensland, Japan and the South Island and they mean good news for every region in the South Island,” he says.
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