Airport partnership a win for Whitsunday tourism

Flights to and from the Whitsundays and Brisbane have just been made a lot easier.

Tigerair Australia today announced a new partnership with the Whitsunday Coast Airport which will deliver four weekly return services between the Whitsundays and Brisbane from March 2017.

Tigerair will also add two extra services to their Whitsunday Coast-Sydney direct route increasing this to six weekly return services.

Mayor Andrew Willcox said economic benefits would flow from this important development.

“Recent statistics have measured the average spend per visitor is $235 per day and the average length of stay is six nights so opening up connectivity to our region to an additional 55,000 visitors is a massive boost to the local economy,” he said.

“That is real bums in beds and real money being spent in local businesses.”

Tigerair Australia Commercial Director Adam Rowe said consumer demand played a factor in driving the decision.

“We have been running our existing services between Sydney and Whitsunday Coast Airport since April 2014 and the support for these services has justified Tigerair adding two additional return services to total six weekly return services,” he said.

We’re confident the new Brisbane – Whitsunday Coast route will prove popular with our core leisure, budget and adventure travel market providing four weekly return services from 23 March 2017 and providing an additional 2,160 visitor seats weekly through Whitsunday Coast Airport.”

Tourism Whitsundays CEO Craig Turner praised the decision, which will bolster tourism in the region.

“Improving connectivity to our region is key to making it as easy as possible for people to holiday and visit the Whitsundays,” he said.

Tigerair is offering $49 one-way fares on the new Brisbane and Whitsunday Coast route from 1pm today to celebrate this achievement.