Jetstar pitch focused on sustainable growth
RotoruaAirport chief executive Nicole Brewer
Sustainable growth is the key focus of a robust Rotorua business case submitted to Jetstar last in a bid to attract the airline to the city.
Jetstar announced in June it was looking to increase its regional services in four locations around the country, with Rotorua one of seven initially identified.
The Rotorua proposal has been led by Rotorua Airport, alongside Rotorua Lakes Council, Destination Rotorua and Grow Rotorua, with input from other stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce and various business and industry sectors.
Newly appointed Rotorua Airport chief executive, Nicole Brewer, says the proposal focuses on creating a robust business case with sustainable growth opportunities for everyone involved.
It is important for the Rotorua community and the airport to form viable, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationships in regards to airlines that operate within the region. This means focusing on areas that have the most potential for long-term growth - the support and success of which will always be shown through the number of bookings.
For Rotorua, encouraging more international travellers to connect via air rather than road through Auckland, and a direct link to Queenstown, present the biggest growth opportunities.
Most passengers from Rotorua's two biggest international visitor markets - Australia and China - currently travel via road between Auckland and Rotorua. Of the 400,000 visitors to Rotorua from these two countries per year, currently fewer than 25 per cent use domestic air during their stay.
It's also estimated that more than 300,000 New Zealand travellers visit both Rotorua and Queenstown every year, with over two thirds using domestic air transport.
Rotorua has made it clear in its proposal that this direct link is critical for the local community in terms of tourism and economic development. This will continue to be a priority in discussions with both Jetstar and Air New Zealand.
Ms Brewer says that Jetstar's current network service review is for Q300 aircraft only, while a potential Queenstown link would require larger jet aircraft operations.
However, we are mindful of the bigger picture and believe that turbo prop services today - providing one-stop connections to Queenstown - could pave the way for jet services tomorrow.
She says growth in tourism is also underpinned by stable corporate demand from business, conference and event travellers throughout the central North Island.
Rotorua offers a compelling proposition as a unique tourism, events, business and convention destination, with a potential local population that's much wider than just Rotorua alone.
Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says the Auckland and Queenstown links are closely aligned with the council's community-endorsed Rotorua 2030 vision.
Our district's vision includes a bold goal to substantially grow our tourism economy - primarily through Auckland links and potentially through direct flights to Queenstown. Our aim is to increase tourism expenditure to $1 billion a year - and we're on track.
We see increased flight connectivity as critical for accommodating a growth in year-on-year demand. Ultimately, our goal with any airline is about increasing capacity, and this has been something we've been able to achieve with Air New Zealand in recent times.
In principle, we would be supportive of any airline coming into Rotorua. However, any new service would need to be sustainable for both the airline and the Rotorua community.
Jetstar is set to make its final decision in September, with flights expected to begin from selected destinations in December.