FINALLY, TAKE OFF
$200m state deal for Covid foreign flight recovery fund after months of campaigning
TOURISM heavyweights will target Japan, the US and connecting Middle East flights after securing a $200m aviation fund to help lead the city’s Covid recovery. It is a joint deal between Annastacia Palaszczuk’s (below) government and the state’s four largest airports. It will also secure flights from Singapore, South Korea and later Canada, Hong Kong, India and more.
The Bulletin and tourism leaders long pushed for the state to pump up the funds to rebuild the city’s $6bn tourism mecca.
TOURISM heavyweights will target Japan, the US and even connecting flights within the Middle East after securing a $200m aviation fund to help lead the city out of the Covid pandemic.
It is a joint partnership between the Queensland government and the state’s four largest airports.
The money will also be used to secure more flights from Singapore, South Korea and later Canada, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia and Taiwan.
The Bulletin and Gold Coast tourism leaders had long pushed for the government to commit money to rebuild the city’s $6bn tourism mecca as the February 21 international border reopening loomed.
Gold Coast Airport boss Chris Mills labelled the announcement a “game changer”, but admitted it would be a while before flights returned to pre-pandemic levels.
“International travel will take longer to recover than domestic services, given the extra complexity,” he said.
“The aviation attraction fund the Queensland government announced this morning is fantastic news – these funds will be critical to attracting airlines back to Queensland.
“The fund spans a fouryear period but we are optimistic that international travel will build more quickly than that. We would like to see international visitor numbers back to previous levels within a couple of years, and then build strongly from there.
“Prior to Covid-19, a million international passengers travelled through Gold Coast Airport connecting directly to Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, Queenstown, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul.
“The Scoot Singapore-Gold Coast service recommences on Monday and Air New Zealand starts flights between the Gold Coast and Auckland from March 2.
“We are working with our airline partners to have other international connections reestablished as quickly as possible and will also be looking at opportunities for new international connections.”
Mr Mills told the Bulletin this week the future of the city’s biggest industry was an international marketing campaign for key markets including New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Japan.
A Tourism Australia spokesman declined to reveal details of upcoming campaigns or announcements to entice tourists from those markets.
We look forward to not only restoring the international network but attracting new connections
Gold Coast Airport boss Chris Mills
The state’s existing international aviation fund was previously just $10m.
The NSW government has already pledged $120m for flights to Sydney Airport for two years, while Western Australia committed $65m for routes into Perth.
The city’s tourism economy was worth $6bn before Covid hit. It lost about $5bn in two years.
The Gold Coast attracted more than half of all international holiday visitors to Queensland in 2019, more than any other state destination.
It also attracted a millionplus international visitors annually pre-covid.
The government will launch a $5.2m marketing campaign at the weekend, offering $1 breakfasts on the Fraser Coast and $119-a-night stays on the Gold Coast.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Friday thanked Queensland’s international airports for their commitment.
“This is another great example of the government working with the private sector to rebuild Queensland’s economy and create jobs,” she said.
The combined $200m investment is predicted to deliver more than 5.3 million airline seats a year, generating almost $4bn.
Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the partnership with Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Cairns international airports would supercharge the commitment to helping Queensland tourism operators rebuild better.
“Our airport partnership will target the international flights suspended by the pandemic, as well as new overseas connections,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“Attracting international aviation is extremely competitive and that’s why we’re on the runway early to secure Queensland’s place on the destination boards of the world’s biggest airports.”
Destination Gold Coast chief executive Patricia O’callaghan said the announcement was a shot in the arm for tourism recovery.
“We know aviation attraction for new routes and services is the critical piece to recovery our industry has been calling for and this support will give Gold Coast’s tourism sector another reason to smile with an exceptionally bright future ahead,” Ms O’callaghan said.
Mayor Tom Tate praised the government for its massive financial boost for the aviation industry.
“More flights mean more tourists and a huge boost to our economy,’’ he said.