What Sort Of Business Opportunities Does This JetStar Gold Coast-Nadi Flight Open Up?
Qantas low cost carrier, JetStar, launched its inaugural Gold Coast-Nadi direct flights this week.
The thrice weekly return flights will offer more than 50,000 seats a year between the two popular destinations.
The Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, rightfully said Fiji was definitely playing all its cards right to be able to source visitors from Australia’s tourism hub, the Gold Coast.
Australia has been the most important source market for Fiji as far as tourism is concerned with Australian visitors accounting for 50 per cent of visitor arrivals in 2014.
It also accounted for 54 per cent of the total earnings or $757.5 million, representing a 7.5 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The direct connection could also, to some extent, open up business opportunities from Gold Coast to Fiji.
While that remains to be seen, we decided to ask some of the leaders their thoughts on this possibility given the new connection.
| Kaushik Kumar Textile, Clothing Footwear (TCF) Council President |
Faiz Khan Airports Fiji Limited Executive Chairman |
Faiyaz Siddiq Koya Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism |
David Hall JetStar Australia and NZ CEO |
Ikbal Jannif Businessman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whilst the new Jetstar Gold Coast- Nadi service provides some additional freight capacity, we might not benefit too much out of it as the majority of TCF exports to Australia goes through Sydney or Melbourne and a bit going into Brisbane. I have not heard any of our members having issues with freight capacity to Australia but if we do at any stage, than we know that there is an option available via this new flight. If we are given better freight rates via Gold Coast, than the industry will definitely take advantage of the offer. This new service between Gold Coast and Nadi is a huge boost for Fiji and our tourism sector. | It’s a great occasion because it will promote tourism, trade and economic growth for Fiji. By having said that, it is a growth for passengers coming into Fiji and for Airports Fiji Limited. The way our business works, it works mainly on the passenger numbers and traffic growth so this all goes well in terms of our growth this year as well. | An increase in flights mean increased access to Fiji, as well as increased connectivity. More flight access and connectivity will lead to increased visitor arrival, which in turn will increase foreign earnings. | Cargos are not really a big part of our business but we are always keen to explore opportunities that can help us keep the fares low for our customers. So if cargo is possible we will certainAly look at it – anything that can keep the fares low so that people can travel very affordably. | I don’t know about opening business opportunities with Gold Coast because I would not know how much business is based there. But from tourism point of view that is extremely good news and we hope the local tourism industry and including all the players in it are able to benefit from the additional passengers who will be coming. We have to be very careful when we are looking at numbers because not every tourist coming from the Gold Coast will be an additional tourist. I would suspect some of them would have come to Fiji anyway via Brisbane. |
