Air New Zealand Launches Rotorua-Sydney Flights
National Airline Offers Direct Flights between Rotorua and Sydney
Aug 23, 2009
New Zealand’s national airline and flag carrier, Air New Zealand, has announced a direct service between Rotorua, a premier tourist destination in the Bay of Plenty, and Sydney, Australia’s largest metropolis. A one-way special fare of $209 launched the new operation.
The Central North Island of New Zealand will be easily Accessible
A 152-seat A320 aircraft will carry passengers initially on a Saturday-Monday service, changing to Saturday-Tuesday from February 2011. With its geothermal activity, Maori heritage and culture, spectacular scenery and central location, Rotorua is an internationally renowned tourist destination. According to Glen Sowry, general manager of Air New Zealand’s Tasman-Pacific region, direct flights into Rotorua will make the region more easily accessible for frequent visitors from the Asian and Australian continents.
The service is also likely to be welcomed by travellers from further afield who would previously have entered New Zealand via Auckland International Airport where they are likely to have had to wait for a connecting flight or face a three-hour journey by road. There are regular flights from Rotorua Airport to all major New Zealand centres as well as a network of connections to regional airports.
Direct Rotorua-Sydney flights will be convenient and time-efficient for people planning to travel beyond the Bay of Plenty. According to Mr Sowry, travellers using the service will not be restricted to the high season. During the winter months Australian skiiers bound for the ski fields of the Central North Island will also benefit.
Direct Service will Boost Rotorua’s Reputation as an International Tourist Destination
In an interview with Katarina Williams of the Rotorua Daily Post newspaper (August 10 2009), Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said that he expected the flights would boost Rotorua’s reputation as an international tourism, convention and events destination. Rotorua already had a great infrastructure in place, said Mr Winters, and the city could take immediate advantage of the new trans-Tasman operation.
A Large Community of New Zealand Ex-patriots Live in Sydney
According toTe Ara, New Zealand’s official online encyclopedia, Australia houses the world’s largest New Zealand ex-patriot community. Four-hundred-and-sixty-thousand New Zealand citizens were recorded as living in Australia in 2003, the largest percentage of these having settled in Sydney, making the city a sought-after destination for extended family and friends from New Zealand.
Rotorua Airport lies on the eastern shore of Lake Rotorua and is a 15-20-minute drive from the central city. Flying from 12 December 2009, a one-way internet price of $239 is now available from Air New Zealand. A $NZ25 tax charge applies for travellers departing from Rotorua.
 |
