Qantas Singapore drive

SINGAPORE will be promoted as a destination in its own right and a connecting gateway hub to Asia, Europe and Australia under a new partnership between Qantas, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Changi Airport Group.

The SG$5 million pact builds on Qantas’ soon-to-relaunch Sydney- London via Singapore services, which sees the Australian airline scrap its Dubai hub in favour of Southeast Asia ( TD 31 Aug).

The three-year Memorandum of Understanding will see the three parties “work together on a series of joint marketing campaigns in Australia, the United Kingdom and Southeast Asia to promote travel on Qantas services via Singapore,” QF said today.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce said the MoU was aimed at boosting visitation to Singapore from the key Australia and UK markets.

“Singapore is Qantas’ largest hub outside of Australia, carrying more than 20% of our wide-body fleet,” Joyce said.

“It is a cornerstone city in our international network strategy and plays an important role in our ability to respond to the incredible growth we are seeing in travellers from Asia.”

Joyce said the partnership would enable QF to better leverage its “powerful partner network” in the region, namely three Jetstar branded carriers - Jetstar Asia, Jetstar Airways and Jetstar Pacific.

Qantas will reignite its Kangaroo Route to the UK via Singapore later this month (on 25 Mar).

STB chief Lionel Yeo said the arrangement would drive more visitor arrivals to Singapore.

“The addition of more Qantas services, especially the return of the iconic Kangaroo Route, is set to draw even more visitors from the two countries,” Yeo said.

“This new partnership builds on STB’s approach of cultivating strategic partnerships with airlines and industry partners to promote Singapore, grow visitor arrivals and achieve tourism success,” Yeo added.

Changi boss Lee Seow Hiang said the tie-up will bolster efforts to raise awareness of Singapore as a “compelling transit point” and destination in its own right.