SMOOTH AS SILK
THE launch of a luxury aircraft into the Cairns market has been dubbed a “feather in the cap” for Far North tourism.
A new SilkAir Boeing 737 Max 8 yesterday touched down at Cairns Airport for the first time.
The feature-enhanced jets will now be rolled out across the airline’s five weekly services between Singapore and the Tropical North.
It was only the second Max 8 to land on Australian soil after SilkAir also introduced the cutting edge aircraft for its Darwin to Singapore services on Sunday.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive Pip Close said the move was a great show of confidence in the region.
“It’s a great fit for us as we look to constantly target the high-value customer or visitor,” she said.
Ms Close said the Singapore market was quite “westernised and adventurous”.
“It’s easy for them to jump on a plane and hire a car,” she said.
SilkAir, the regional arm of Singapore Airlines, began tri-weekly services between Cairns and Singapore – via Darwin – in 2015.
Ms Close said numbers into TNQ from Singapore over the past year equated to just shy of 30,000 room nights and a total spend of $4.7 million.
“(It’s) a small base but one we think will grow with greater focus over time,” she said.
“The load factors are strong and we see great potential out of Singapore with Singaporeans, but also the connection into Europe for our European market.”
SilkAir’s Cairns manager Jin Jen Chang told the Cairns Post last month that the airline hoped to introduce daily services between Cairns and Singapore by the end of 2018.
Ms Close said such a step would only be beneficial for the Far North.
“That will make a big difference as well – we can certainly see great opportunities there,” she said.
SilkAir chief executive Foo Chai Woo said the new Max 8 aircraft paved the way for a “new phase of growth”.