Christchurch Airport supports Tourism 2025

Christchurch Airport supports Tourism 2025

The role Christchurch Airport plays in tourism has been highlighted by today’s release of the Tourism 2025 industry growth framework. The framework released by Tourism Industry Association (TIA) revealed an industry wide goal to contribute $41 billion a year to the economy by 2025.

Christchurch Airport Chief Executive Malcolm Johns says there is a role for every operator in the South Island to play under Tourism 2025, no matter how big or how small they might be.

He says the South Island has long been the engine room of ‘brand New Zealand’, the New Zealand international marketing weapon.

“The South Island has a major role to play in Tourism 2025 to ensure the national benefits generated here spread widely across New Zealand and are not just concentrated in a few spots,” says Mr Johns.

“The team at Christchurch Airport is passionate about the whole of the South Island and what we can do to create opportunities for all operators from Marlborough Sounds to Stewart Island. The airport is the island’s front door to its people, experiences and iconic scenery.

“The South Island experience has long been the foundation that creates New Zealand’s global word-of-mouth marketing for international visitors who’ve been here. Visitor experience is one of the key planks of the 2025 framework, as is building air connectivity. It makes sense for planes to go to where the people want to visit.”

Mr Johns highlights as recent examples the work the airport has done with Singapore Airlines to introduce increased airline capacity over this summer and next, on top of existing regular daily services; the summer charters from several cities in Japan it has partnered with Air New Zealand to offer; the summer direct flights between Christchurch and Perth and the many services offered by other airlines across hubs on East Coast Australia.

“All these services fit neatly within the Tourism 2025 theme of growing sustainable air connectivity and Christchurch Airport is committed to continuing to invest in this area for the benefit of Christchurch, Canterbury, the South Island and New Zealand,” he says.

“There is no ‘reserved sign’ on a share of these opportunities for the South Island and it is important each South Island tourism operator proactively finds a way to contribute to one part of another of Tourism 2025, and help us all claim our share of this growth story. Others will if we don’t!

“We commend the work done to establish Tourism 2025 and, in particular, the work Martin Snedden has done to bring the key tourism operators together across the whole of New Zealand. We are committed to working with these operators as partners, to grow tourism in New Zealand and ensure the South Island is part of this exciting growth story.”

ENDS

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