Significant visitor growth and spend for Wellington

Friday, 20 September 2013, 3:16 pm
Press Release: Wellington International Airport Limited

MEDIA RELEASE

Significant visitor growth and spend for Wellington – 20 September 2013

International visitors arriving through Wellington Airport have increased by 35% since 2009. Over the last 12 months, passenger numbers at Wellington Airport have increased by over 6%, higher than any other major airport in New Zealand. Passengers are expected to reach more than 5.5m this year making Wellington the second largest airport in New Zealand.

“The airport is also expecting more than 750k international passengers which is well ahead of our previous busiest year which included the Rugby World Cup,” said Mike Vincent, Wellington Airport’s Manager of Airline Development.

“Australian visitor spending in the region has increased by 36% over the last four years and the number of Australian’s that view Wellington as a great short-break destination continues to climb,” said Mr Vincent.

Wellington has also seen a doubling of visitors from the United States arriving via Australia over the same period, which is a direct reflection of the continued success of Wellington’s large and growing film industry.

“Expenditure from New Zealand domestic tourism has increased by almost $600M over four years, with 40% of that increase being spent in the Wellington region. This is due in part to the strong increases in Jetstar capacity and resulting competition on the main trunk which has helped boost tourism to the capital.”

Recovery from the financial crisis coupled with promotion of the Hobbit and a strong New Zealand dollar has seen the Wellington long haul market continue to increase.

Over the last 12 months, North American and Asian visitors through the airport have both grown by 20%. Around 400 passengers travel directly to/from Asia every day and a further 390 per day fly to and from Europe, many of whom stop-over in Asia. There are a further 320 daily passengers flying between central New Zealand and North America.

Chinese travellers are forecast to grow significantly over the next 5 years. “If New Zealand holds its own, an additional 80 return flights per week will be required between NZ and China, which provides a great opportunity for Wellington and central New Zealand.”

The 2013 Tourism Industry Association Summit on 1 October, of which Wellington Airport is a lead sponsor, will see the launch of Tourism 2025 - a framework to unite and inspire growth in New Zealand’s $23.4 billion tourism industry.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Wellington Airport

Wild at Heart

Wellington Airport provides a world class airport for visitors, the Wellington region and New Zealand. It's international terminal, The Rock, is ranked 4th best in the World. Being very close to the CBD saves 5.4 million travellers plenty of time and makes Wellington a more attractive place to visit. The Airport won the Wellington Gold Awards for Safety and is a major supporter of local events, attractions and community groups.

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