Air NZ direct to Argentina

ACCESS to South America’s ski fields is set to receive a boost later this year with the launch of Air New Zealand’s direct flights from Auckland to Buenos Aires. Subject to regulatory approvals, three weekly return services will commence from 1 December, operating on a Boeing 777-200 aircraft. Flight time is expected to clock in at around 12 hours. Marking the airline’s 28th international port, Air NZ CEO Christopher Luxon said the move was part of a broader expansion strategy in the Pacific Rim. “Argentina is an exciting new destination for New Zealanders, and with seamless one-stop connectivity through Auckland it will provide a fantastic opportunity for Australians as well,” Luxon said. The announcement follows the recent launch of flights to Singapore, and the airline is also set to rubber stamp a code share agreement with Aerolineas Argentinas to provide convenient connections to Brazil. Tickets are now on sale. TOURISM New Zealand is hopeful of luring more “undecided” Australian skiers over the ditch to punch above the current benchmark of 120,000 annual winter travellers. Tourism NZ general manager Australia Tony Saunders told travelbulletin that Australians had a strong affinity with New Zealand, particularly over the winter season which was experiencing ongoing growth in visitor numbers. With a variety of winter activities such as golf, wineries and adrenaline activities within easy reach, he said the Canterbury region was particularly popular among Australian travellers. Queenstown had also seen “exponential” growth following a boost in air capacity and competitive land packages, Saunders added. He said the winter season remained the tourism board’s key focus in the Australia market, noting that it was also the segment which showed the most potential for growth. “There are over 500 casual skiers in Australia who are undecided on where to take a winter holiday who we can target more effectively,” he said. “We see great growth beyond the 120,000 Australians who are coming over and we will continue to up the ante with our support and messaging.” Tourism NZ plans to release its winter deals in the coming weeks to generate more interest, with most deals set to be released through Flight Centre. “There’s a big pull to NZ for undecided skiers in Australia, and we want to convince them to come to New Zealand for a winter holiday,” he said. “There is much more scope for growth.”