Media Release
12 May 2008
Flight Centre’s First Asian Service Centre Takes Off
Flight Centre New Zealand is launching its first Asian language store today in the heart of Auckland’s central business
district.
The Shortland St store has been designed to better cater for the increasing Asian population in Auckland, with
experienced travel consultants who speak a range of Asian languages.
The shop, called the “Asian Service Centre”, will retain Flight Centre’s Unbeatable branding, including the iconic
Flight Centre Captain, but all advertising specifically for the store will be communicated in Mandarin and Cantonese.
The Asian language store will be the first for a major travel retailer in New Zealand and Flight Centre Retail Manager
Jared Baker says it is a very exciting project that will bring the Flight Centre brand to a new segment of the travel
market.
“Flight Centre is such a well known name and our stores are now well spread throughout the country, so to continue
Flight Centre’s growth, the logical progression is to tailor our products to specific demographics", he says.
“This store has come about as the direct result of suggestions from our consultants and we look forward to seeing how
well it is received by the Asian community.”
The 2006 New Zealand Census revealed that almost one in five people living in Auckland City (18.4 percent) were born in
Asia.
Asian language speaking customers living outside of Auckland will be able to book through the store through a dedicated
0800 number nationwide, and the Flight Centre website at www.flightcentre.co.nz.
If the Asian Service Centre is a success, Mr Baker says the company will look at opening up additional specialised
stores in other New Zealand cities.
Flight Centre (NZ) is New Zealand’s largest travel agency, with 127 retail stores nationwide.
ENDS