16 December 2009

Christchurch Airport secures Taipei charter services

Christchurch Airport announced today that it has been successful in securing four charter services direct from Taiwan to Christchurch.  The two inbound and two outbound services will bring one thousand Taiwanese passengers to and from Christchurch.

“This is a joint venture between Christchurch Airport, Auckland Airport, Tourism NZ and Lion Travel Services,” said Gareth Owen, General Manager Marketing and Business Development of Christchurch Airport (CIAL). “Our local tourism organisation, Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism (CCT), has also been involved in ensuring this deal brought more tourists to the region.”

“It’s expected that these charter flights will appeal particularly to family groups and honeymooners from Taiwan,” explained Gareth Owen.  “Future growth in tourism is expected to come from Asia, China and India, so we hope this is the first of many such flights.”

Christine Prince, the Chief Executive of CCT, welcomes the news of more tourists to the region.  “Christchurch is a great base for a whole range of activities in the South Island and Taiwan has the potential to be a growing source of visitors for Christchurch,” she said. 

The flights have been advertised in Taiwanese travel magazines and on a Taiwanese website that has 10 million members and approximately 450,000 viewers a day.

The charter aircraft will be Airbus 330s, which carry 250 passengers. The flights will arrive in January and leave on February 15.