New direct commercial flights between China and Auckland are expected to mean more tourists for "strategic alliance" partner Queenstown Airport and the wider resort, airport and tourism chiefs say.
Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic passengers between Queenstown Airport and the United Kingdom, via Auckland Airport, are also promised "more flexibility and choice on routings", following the separate announcement of the signing of a code-sharing agreement between the two carriers yesterday.
The introduction of three direct China Southern Airlines flights between Guangzhou and Auckland a week, from April 8 extended earlier plans by the airline to fly to Melbourne, which were announced on December 13.
A familiarisation tour of New Zealand by a China Southern Airlines delegation before Christmas - a trip which included Queenstown - was "pivotal to the airline's decision to move immediately to direct services", China Southern president Tan Wangeng said in a statement.
Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) chief executive Steve Sanderson said yesterday the delegation "clearly saw great potential" in the resort.
"Their decision to elevate the new service reinforces the influence of Auckland as an important conduit for tourist traffic into the country and especially into Queenstown.
"Already, we know that Chinese tour operators are working up New Zealand packages, including a trip to Queenstown. We see this as the next step in getting a slice of the over 88,000 additional seats on offer each year via these Auckland-mainland China flights."
Destination Queenstown chief executive Tony Everitt said the flights were a "significant milestone" in further developing the China visitor market.
"It's a strong testament to both Queenstown's appeal and local tourism businesses involved that the pre-Christmas inspection of the resort had such an impact," he said.
"We are now working with China Southern Airlines and airports on marketing strategies to support the new services and bring more Chinese visitors to Queenstown," Mr Everitt said.
Air New Zealand and Virgin Atlantic passengers are expected to start experiencing the smoother booking benefits of the code-share agreement from February 28, after the relevant Government approvals are gained.
Customers should be able to book with Virgin Atlantic to travel on connecting journeys on nine international and domestic Air New Zealand routes, including Auckland and Queenstown, using Virgin's VS flight code.
Air New Zealand customers should be able to book on Virgin Atlantic's services between London Heathrow and San Francisco, and between Hong Kong and Sydney for connecting journeys using Air New Zealand's NZ flight code.
