Hoteliers and tourism officials have welcomed new night flights in Queenstown, New Zealand.
This week, aviation authorities announced that the foundation safety case for after dark flights into Queenstown has been approved.
The Rees Hotel and Luxury Apartments General Manager Mark Rose said the flights are a win for the destination.
“The possibility of night flights into and out of Queenstown starting in 2016 will give leisure, corporate and MICE travellers more flexibility,” he told HM.
“This is a huge shot in the arm for New Zealand’s premier tourist destination,” he said.
Destination Queenstown Chief Executive Graham Budd said he was thrilled with this development which is a significant milestone in the process of bringing evening flights to NZ’s premier four season resort.
“I congratulate everyone that has worked so hard bringing this to fruition,” he said.
“It is a significant development in supporting the future growth of the visitor market into Queenstown and will enhance the visitor experience given that airline schedules will be able to be extended to more convenient hours across the day.
“The decision by NZ’s CAA and Australia’s CASA will be a game changer in terms of supporting DQ’s marketing efforts in driving visitor volume and value across the year,” he said.
This is the first step in a full process to achieving evening flights (up to 10pm). Airlines will now access demand for evening services and apply to the regulator for individual operator approval.