IT’LL BE A CRACKER
Choppers and light planes in demand
TOURISTS TOUCH DOWN AS CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS TAKE OFF P8-9 PLUS HOROSCOPE
HELICOPTER and light plane tour operators are experiencing unprecedented growth as more Chinese tourists holiday in the Far North.
Citizens from the world’s most populous country will ring in the Year of the Dog today as Chinese New Year festivities kick off around the world.
In Cairns, planeloads of Chinese tourists have been arriving for the holiday in the past fortnight via direct China Eastern, China Southern, Hainan, Hong Kong Airlines and Cathay Pacific flights.
Cairns Airport chief executive airport Norris Carter said the Chinese New Year tourist period fitted neatly between Australia’s Christmas school holiday and Easter holiday period.
A change in the take off zone for scenic helicopter flights had also boosted the number of passengers.
“We’re really lucky with the weather this year, too,” he said.
“The helicopter tours are very popular this year. Before, they had to cross the runway to get to the Reef and had to wait for the planes using the runway. Now, we’ve moved them to the other side they can take off without waiting.”
He said there had been even bigger growth in small aircraft scenic tours.
Aviation chief commercial officer Paul McLean said there had been a shift with more of the 80 per cent of international travellers, who arrived via the airport’s domestic terminal, now coming through the international airport.
KUR-World Great Barrier Reef Chinese New Year festival event manager Fiona Arnfield said there would be plenty to keep people occupied over the next two weeks.
“This year we have a very full program because we’re expecting a huge influx of visitors,” she said. “We had to increase the stages at the Grafton St festival because we have so many performers now.
“The street festival is the most popular part of the event with the whole family. Everything over the festival is free, except for the yum cha lunch.”