The Auckland International Airport is looking at India to propel an increase in arrival numbers and revenues to counter flattening numbers from other parts of the world in the wake of the financial downturn.
According to the National Business Review, Glenn Wedlock, the airport company’s aeronautical business development manager recently attended the Routes Asia conference of the region’s 20 major airlines in Hyderabad and presented each with a strong case to consider flying to Auckland.
“I discussed with Air India, Kingfisher and Jet about starting direct services and although growth has slowed due to the recession they are interested in routes here in the next few years,” Mr Wedlock told the National Business Review.
“Jet and Qantas code-share, Air India is looking at joining the Star Alliance next year and Qantas flies from Mumbai to Sydney and Auckland so we are closely watching Indian airlines and what their plans are.”
Indian arrivals went up 13 per cent in the year to March with 18,500 passengers arriving in the said period. It happens to be one of only three increases in the airport’s top 10 markets. This is number is only expected to increase in coming years because of the frequent visits in the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) category driven by almost 100,000 immigrant Indians living permanently in New Zealand.
Meanwhile a recent survey has also revealed that the average Indian tourist spends nearly twice the amount of what the average Australian tourist spends while travelling in New Zealand.
These factors have whetted the appetite of the aviation and tourism industries in New Zealand to look at India as a market of growing promise and potential.
The Auckland International Airport is looking at India to propel an increase in arrival numbers and revenues to counter flattening numbers from other parts of the world in the wake of the financial downturn.According to the National Business Review, Glenn Wedlock, the airport company’s aeronautical...
The Auckland International Airport is looking at India to propel an increase in arrival numbers and revenues to counter flattening numbers from other parts of the world in the wake of the financial downturn.
According to the National Business Review, Glenn Wedlock, the airport company’s aeronautical business development manager recently attended the Routes Asia conference of the region’s 20 major airlines in Hyderabad and presented each with a strong case to consider flying to Auckland.
“I discussed with Air India, Kingfisher and Jet about starting direct services and although growth has slowed due to the recession they are interested in routes here in the next few years,” Mr Wedlock told the National Business Review.
“Jet and Qantas code-share, Air India is looking at joining the Star Alliance next year and Qantas flies from Mumbai to Sydney and Auckland so we are closely watching Indian airlines and what their plans are.”
Indian arrivals went up 13 per cent in the year to March with 18,500 passengers arriving in the said period. It happens to be one of only three increases in the airport’s top 10 markets. This is number is only expected to increase in coming years because of the frequent visits in the VFR (visiting friends and relatives) category driven by almost 100,000 immigrant Indians living permanently in New Zealand.
Meanwhile a recent survey has also revealed that the average Indian tourist spends nearly twice the amount of what the average Australian tourist spends while travelling in New Zealand.
These factors have whetted the appetite of the aviation and tourism industries in New Zealand to look at India as a market of growing promise and potential.
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