News for South Pacific

Tourism Australia released (15-May-2017) initial results of its latest phase of the Restaurant Australia campaign, the hosting of The World's 50 Best Restaurants awards:

• The project generated over 4000 media articles with an audience reach of 3.9 billion and an Equivalent Advertising Value of over AUD42 million (USD31.2 million);
• Victorian restaurants saw a 50% increase in restaurant bookings for the week of the event programme;
• Brae Restaurant, which entered The World's 50 Best Restaurants list at #44 received over 16,000 website views in the hours after the awards, marking an increase of 3900% from a daily average of 400 views;
• More than 679 flights and 1162 rooms being booked across the 250 itineraries organised by Tourism Australia;
• Over 2600 bottles of wine from 42 Australian regions were tasted by the international sommeliers, chefs and media throughout the event programme. [more - original PR]

Tahiti International Airport firefighters have been on strike since 15-May-2017, causing major disruptions and cancellations to services (Le Journal De L'Aviation, 17-May-2017). All major carriers including Air Tahiti, Air France and Air New Zealand have had services impacted with several hundred passengers having to prolong their stay in French Polynesia. Negotiations are expected to continue before firefighting services are resumed. Local Tourism has asked hotels and tourist carriers not to transfer their customers to the airport, and to offer an extension of their accommodation.

Wellington Airport is reviewing "a range" of contingency measures in the event its 350m runway extension project is rejected due to the proposed 90m runway end safety area (Stuff, 17-May-2017). The airport reportedly requested quotes for an engineered materials arrestor system that aims to reduce the speed of an aircraft within a short distance.

Air New Zealand opened an office in Buenos Aires as part of the carrier's South American growth project (Hosteltur, 16-May-2017). Air New Zealand GM for South America Alex Obaditch stated: "Since Air New Zealand entered the market in Dec-2015, there has been a 200% increase in the number of Argentines flying to New Zealand". Air New Zealand operates to Buenos Aires three times weekly, with service moving to four times weekly from Dec-2017 to Mar-2018. 

Tourism Australia released figures showing demonetisation had little impact on Indian tourist arrivals in Australia (NAM New Network, 17-May-2017). The number of Indian tourist arrivals in Australia for Dec-2016 stood at 29,500 compared to 26,100 in Dec-2015. Tourism Australia country manager India and Gulf Nishant Kashikar stated: "We have not seen any significant impact on tourist arrivals after demonetisation kicked off. In fact, in Dec-2016 we saw the largest ever increase in tourist arrivals in any single month from India to Australia which was 13%".

Tourism Australia, via its official weekly newsletter, announced (17-May-2017) the results of the Mood of the Nation survey which measures Australians’ perceptions of tourism. Tourism Australia stated:

• 94% of Australians believe that international tourism is good for the country;
• 83% are proud of how Australia is promoted overseas;
• 73% of Australians still under-estimate the true value of the country’s tourism industry;
• 8% correctly identified tourism as Australia's biggest export services earner.

Tourism Australia, via its official weekly newsletter, celebrated (17-May-2017) 50 years since the Australian Government started promoting Australia to business and leisure travellers. Over the past five decades Australia has grown from a destination attracting 220,000 overseas visitors and contributing AUD74 million (USD55 million) annually to one that welcomed, in 2016, over eight million visitors a year who spent AUD39 billion (USD29 billion).

Airways Aviation announced (11-May-2017) the appointment of Leo O’Reilly as GM of its Australia operation to lead the company’s ongoing Asia Pacific expansion.  [more - original PR]

Australia Minister for Infrastructure Darren Chester stated (18-May-2017) Bendigo Airport is applying the "finishing touches" to its AUD15 million (USD11 million) redevelopment project. The project is scheduled to complete in late May-2017. As previously reported by CAPA, the project included development of a 1600m runway, associated taxiways, lighting, signage and fencing infrastructure, as well as strengthening existing apron and taxiways. The new runway allows the airport to accept freight aircraft carrying up to 30 tonnes or passenger aircraft carrying up to 75 people. [more - original PR]

Sydney Airport commissioned (17-May-2017) light installations across all three terminals in support of Vivid Sydney, an annual light, music and art festival hosted by Destination NSW. Airport CEO Kerrie Mather stated the airport is "thrilled to be a Vivid Supporter for the first time this year", an event that welcomed more than 2.31 million attendees in 2016. [more - original PR]