Etihad codehsares to Australia’s ‘Red Centre’
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8 June 2010: Commencing this week, a new codeshare arrangement between premium airline Etihad Airways and Qantas has created new connecting flights from Manchester to Alice Springs and Uluru via Sydney.
A key priority of the Aviation Futures 2015 strategy released by the Northern Territory Government in April 2010 was improving international links to Central Australia, making it more accessible to tourists.
Tourism NT Chief Executive, Maree Tetlow said that the United Kingdom is the Northern Territory’s largest international visitor market with 65,000 people visiting last year, up 9 percent on the previous year.
“This is a significant announcement as Manchester is the UK’s second largest international region outside London. Central Australia is now being made more accessible to visitors from our number one international source market.
“The new connecting flights are the culmination of months of discussions between the Northern Territory Government and Etihad Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing premium airlines,” Ms Tetlow said.
“Flights to Central Australia are now more sustainable with the addition of these connecting flights.
“Through this agreement Etihad customers across the UK, Europe and Middle East can now experience the many natural and cultural attractions set against this spectacular iconic landscape.
“The Northern Territory Government’s major goal is to secure more tourists from Europe in particular Germany, the NT’s second largest international market, and emerging markets such as France, Italy and the Middle East to holiday here and enjoy the Red Centre.
“A competition promoting the new route goes to air this week on Manchester’s Radio Key 103 targeting broad markets from youth to people in their 50s. Five people can win an ipod touch with the iOutback app pre-loaded to help them plan their holiday in the Territory and the ultimate prize is a trip for two with Etihad to Alice Springs and Uluru,” Ms Tetlow said.
The promotional activity supporting the new connecting flights is the forerunner to further cooperative marketing campaigns by Tourism NT and Etihad.
Nearly 90 percent of international visitors to the NT enter Australia in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane or Cairns. Optimising the number of domestic flights that connect with international flights and promoting these is vital for inbound tourism, especially Central Australia.
$2.1 million was allocated in the 2010-2011 NTG Budget towards improving airline access from key source markets through cooperative marketing and route development.
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