New weekly flights from Japan to Cairns will add an additional 9,000 seats into Tropical North Queensland in a move that makes the most of the current extremely high value of the yen against the Aussie dollar.

Continental Micronesia will operate six additional flights from Guam into Cairns during March and has scheduled two additional weekly flights from April through until September 2009.

It is a godsend for the Tropical North Queensland travel and tourism industries, which have been reeling for more than a year in the wake of airline service reductions, currency fluctuations and tourism source countries being hit by the global financial crisis.

Premier Anna Bligh said the moves followed ongoing discussions between the State and Federal Governments, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and the airline.

Continental Micronesia serves eight major cities in Japan and already carries visitors from Japan into Tropical North Queensland through its Guam hub.

Ms Bligh said the deal was a timely boost for the Tropical North, following Qantas' decision to cut flights from Tokyo into Cairns and Jetstar cutting flights from Nagoya and Osaka from mid-December 2008.

"2008 was a difficult year for Queensland's tourism industry and these new flights are a direct result of my government's $4million rescue package to support it through the tough times," Ms Bligh said.

"With the matching support of the Rudd Government and Tourism Australia, these new services will continue to bring visitors to this great state."

Ms Bligh said additional capacity into Cairns would not only boost the local industry, but other tourist hot spots like the Gold Coast.

"As part of our efforts with Tourism Australia and Tourism Tropical North Queensland we also negotiated three new weekly Jetstar flights between Cairns and the Gold Coast in October 2008.

"This deal resulted in an additional 27,500 seats each way per year. And all of this is good for Queensland jobs," she said.
Federal Minister for Tourism Martin Ferguson said the additional services would help the region attract more visitors from Japan.

"Continental Micronesia is a well-established brand in Japan, and the marketing assistance to be provided through Tourism Australia and Tourism Queensland will keep the Tropical North front of mind among travel agents and consumers," Mr Ferguson said.

"The Federal Government's support for marketing the Continental Micronesia services will help further develop the route into Tropical North Queensland from Japan through Guam and build on Continental Micronesia's established network in Japan," he said.

Minster for Tourism, Regional Development and Industry and Member for Cairns Desley Boyle said the Bligh Government was committed to securing the important Japanese tourism market in Tropical North Queensland.

"Japan is the Tropical North's biggest international market with 178,000 visitors spending a million nights in the region in the year to September 30, 2008," Ms Boyle said.

"It is therefore crucial that we continue to look for new ways to replace the lost seat capacity and encourage more Japanese to fly into Cairns.

"We will continue to undertake discussions to re-establish links between Japan and Cairns.

"The deal is fantastic news for the region and as the United States increases its presence in Guam there will be new opportunities to tap into the lucrative US military recreation leave market," she said.

Ms Boyle said the Bligh Government was committed to future growth of the aviation sector in Cairns and Tropical North Queensland as a major contributor to a stronger economy and knowledge-based jobs for Queensland's future.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.