General News
28 August, 2024
AirAsia touches down
TAPPING into the emerging Asian middle class traveller market as well as youth and group travellers from the UK and Europe is the focus of the new AirAsia Bali to Cairns route.
The historic flights into Cairns will operate three times a week, injecting more than 28,000 seats into the Cairns market in the first year.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen said AirAsia Indonesia would allow the Far North to tap into new markets in Asia.
“The urban Asian middle-class is expanding rapidly and these flights will allow Cairns to tap into new source markets,” he said.
“The route will also be attractive for travellers connecting from Europe and the United Kingdom, particularly the youth and group series markets wanting a stopover in Indonesia.”
Cairns Airport chief executive officer Richard Barker said the inaugural flight was a significant milestone for the wider Tropical North Queensland region.
“AirAsia is one of the world’s most recognisable airline brands and is renowned in the industry as Asia’s first low cost, low fare carrier,” he said. “This new service will offer immense benefits to our region and many key industries, providing seamless, affordable connections to Cairns from Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and domestic Indonesia, which will bolster visitation and business opportunities from these major, populous markets.
“Bali is also a highly popular destination for locals, and we know this new service has been well-received by holidaymakers across Tropical North Queensland.”
AirAsia Indonesia chief executive officer Veranita Yosephine said the airline was connecting millions of Indonesians and many more millions of guests from Asia and beyond via Bali to Tropical North Queensland’s gateway.
“We see great demand, not only for this new direct route. Everyone loves Bali but at the same time we see many opportunities to promote the incredible tourism highlights in the far north of Queensland to our international guests like the Great Barrier Reef – one of the seven wonders of the world and to visit the amazing world-renowned rainforests,” she said.
