FLIGHT CENTRE

Hobart airport set for busiest day on record

HOBART’S tourism boom continues to go from strength to strength, with Hobart airport set for its busiest day ever.

Today the airport will have 76 aircraft movements on a jampacked Boxing Day, with more than 7000 visitors potentially flying into Hobart after Christmas.

Hobart airport chief executive Sarah Renner said this would help more passengers than the equivalent of Tasmania’s population to go through the airport’s gates in December and January.

“Boxing Day will be our busiest day ever, with 76 aircraft movements, eclipsing our previous record of 68,” she said.

“We expect over half a million passengers over December 2017 and January 2018.

“[To cater for the increased demand], we have carried out capital works to expand the departures area by 48 per cent, increased the number of employees and contractors working during that period and implemented numerous customer experience initiatives, including symphony orchestra [music], kids’ entertainment and additional play equipment.”

The half a million passengers that will come and go through Hobart airport will contribute to nearly 500,000 visitors that will come to the state in the next three months, spending close to $1 billion.

And the numbers don’t look set to ease up, especially now the runway extension at the airport — which will allow international flights to return — has been completed, with Ms Renner saying she expected the aircraft movement record to be eclipsed many times.

This isn’t just translating to a packed airport, hotel rooms are close to being booked out and Airbnb is predicting 9300 bookings between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve as people flock to Hobart for the Taste of Tasmania and the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

And it isn’t stopping there, with Mona Foma set to also attract droves of visitors in January.

The state’s tourism boom is so strong that a recent Roy Morgan study revealed Hobart is now the third most desirable capital city to visit — behind Melbourne and Sydney — with 1.74 million Australians wanting to come to Hobart for their next holiday.

Hobart bumped Brisbane out of the top three in a massive shock to those in the Sunshine State.

The growth in passenger numbers at the Hobart airport has been so rapid that it has forced the redevelopment of its terminal to be reviewed, so that the terminal can keep up with the demand.

Hobart Lord Mayor Sue Hickey said this also showed just how strong Hobart was as a destination.

“It’s incredible, Hobart is definitely on the map,” she said.

“Tourists are here, visitors are here, even Princess Mary has been here, the stars are coming together for us. Tasmania is picking up its game on tourism.

“We are now getting the accommodation as well, this is hopefully the sign of the times.

“Now we just need international flights, like even to New Zealand would be incredible, because that would open us up to other destinations.”