FED: Cheap airfares luring more Kiwis over the Tasman

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2000
FED: Cheap airfares luring more Kiwis over the Tasman

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, Aug 9 AAP - Cheap airfares were bringing Australia and New Zealand closer
together by prompting Kiwis to regularly cross the Tasman, a leading tourism analyst said
today.

Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show 772,500 New Zealanders arrived
in Australia for short-term breaks in the 1999-2000 financial year - up by seven per cent
on the previous 12 months.

New Zealanders made up 17 per cent of all short-term visitor arrivals over the 12 months,
ahead of Japan (15 per cent) and the United Kingdom (12 per cent).

Tourism analyst Alan Midwood said while Kiwis had long come to Australia in droves
for sporting events like the Bledisloe Cup, it was cheap air fares of $400 to $450 return
that had made it easier for them.

"It might be a bit of an overstatement, but we really think that many New Zealanders
are looking at coming to Australia for the weekend," said Mr Midwood, who produces the
quarterly Midwood Queensland Investment Report.

"The fares have been really low and, with the number of New Zealanders coming over
here for living purposes, there have been a lot more family reunions.

"It really is a case, if there's a long weekend coming up, it's like: `Let's go over
to Australia and see the kids and baby'."

Mr Midwood said although fewer than 40 per cent of New Zealanders could be classed
as commercial tourists, Australia's biggest market continued to grow in importance.

Overall international visitor numbers to Australia continued to strengthen in 2000.

Fuelled by Olympics-generated hype, a total of 4.65 million visitors arrived in Australia
in the financial year - up by 8.5 per cent on 1998-1999.

Figures for the month of June showed 347,800 short-term visitors arrived in Australia,
an increase of 9.7 per cent over the same month in 1999.

The New Zealand market continued its strong growth, jumping by 8.5 per cent in June
compared with the same month in 1999. Corresponding figures for Japan were up by 5.4 per
cent, for the United Kingdom by 11 per cent and the United States by 17.6 per cent.

The only significant drop from June 1999 to June this year was in the Singapore market,
which fell by 7.9 per cent.

Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) managing director John Morse welcomed the figures,
saying there was strong growth from all five source regions.

"Australia's inbound tourism industry continues to strengthen in the lead-up to the
Sydney Olympic Games," Mr Morse said.

"Australia is now on track to deliver a record 4.7 million international tourists during
the Olympic year, who will spend nearly $9 million."

AAP ch/sc/sub/de

KEYWORD: VISITORS NIGHTLEAD

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