Christchurch Airport chief executive Jim Boult is
welcoming announcement of a Memorandum Of Understanding between
Garuda Indonesia Airline and Auckland Airport.
"This is a win for New Zealand," says Mr Boult. "We're always
keen to see airlines bring visitors to New Zealand and are
especially pleased to see Garuda return.
"We look forward to working with Auckland Airport and various
stakeholders in the vast Asian market to bring Indonesian visitors
into the South Island. We know tourists want to see our famous
southern mountains and lakes, so we will do all we can to encourage
and grow the Indonesian market."
Mr Boult says there has been strong growth in arrivals from
Indonesia to Christchurch almost every month for the past 24 months
as new capacity from Asian markets became
available.
"Growth in visitor numbers from Indonesia has averaged 107%
during this time," he says. "We are the co-partner to the
Halal Dining Guide of New Zealand, so these developments support
our belief of the growth potential from these fast growing markets,
where NZ can offer a unique experience for discerning
travellers."
