Wirraway
1st Mar 2004, 10:09
Mon "Sunshine Coast Daily"
Monday, 1st March 2004.
Air fare war lands an $8m windfall
THE Sunshine Coast is set to reap an estimated $8 million tourism windfall during its traditionally quiet months as a result of the cut-price airfare war between Jetstar and Virgin Blue.
Within 48 hours of the ticket-buying frenzy which began last Wednesday morning, it was impossible to buy one of the $29 tickets to the Sunshine Coast from either Sydney or Melbourne.
Neither airline was willing to say how many tickets to the region had been offered but a Virgin Blue spokeswoman confirmed their Sunshine Coast allocation had sold out within 22 hours.
She was unable to confirm reports Sunshine Coast tickets had been the most popular of all on offer.
Even if only 5% , or 15,000 , of the 300,000 tickets from the two airlines had been for Sunshine Coast flights, the benefits to the region will be enormous.
The average domestic tourist stays on the Coast for 4.5 nights and spends $120/night, which amounts to an $8.1 million boost to the Coast's tourism industry.
The cheap tickets coincided with the launch of the new ''Sunshine Coasting'' campaign which is using TV, newspaper, magazine and billboard advertising to attract Sydney and Melbourne visitors here.
The tickets must be used during May and June, which is traditionally the quietest time of the year for the Coast's tourism industry.
Tourism Sunshine Coast general manager John Fitzgerald said the timing couldn't have been better as the new advertising campaign was aimed at people with young children who could visit outside school holidays.
''It's sensational that the announcement of the cheap tickets came at exactly the right time as far as the new marketing effort of the Sunshine Coast is concerned,'' he said.
''It will drive up business when we most need it , in the middle of the year.
''Whatever number of tickets were actually sold, the very fact they sold out so quickly shows the increasing popularity of the Sunshine Coast to Sydney and Melbourne people.
''It's terrific news and our new campaign was right there in people's faces when they were offered the cheap tickets and deciding where to go.'' Bruce Houley from the Tingirana Noosa resort said his phones had been ''ringing off the hook'' from early last Wednesday morning when the cheap tickets became available.
''As soon as ticket sales started , before we even got into work , the phones were jumping and they didn't stop all day,'' he said.
''The availability of such cheap tickets was a real catalyst for people wanting to come to the Sunshine Coast for holidays, particularly during the traditional low period of May and June.
''It's normally the quietest time of the year.
But we had literally scores of calls from people checking on accommodation before they booked their cheap flights.''
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Monday, 1st March 2004.
Air fare war lands an $8m windfall
THE Sunshine Coast is set to reap an estimated $8 million tourism windfall during its traditionally quiet months as a result of the cut-price airfare war between Jetstar and Virgin Blue.
Within 48 hours of the ticket-buying frenzy which began last Wednesday morning, it was impossible to buy one of the $29 tickets to the Sunshine Coast from either Sydney or Melbourne.
Neither airline was willing to say how many tickets to the region had been offered but a Virgin Blue spokeswoman confirmed their Sunshine Coast allocation had sold out within 22 hours.
She was unable to confirm reports Sunshine Coast tickets had been the most popular of all on offer.
Even if only 5% , or 15,000 , of the 300,000 tickets from the two airlines had been for Sunshine Coast flights, the benefits to the region will be enormous.
The average domestic tourist stays on the Coast for 4.5 nights and spends $120/night, which amounts to an $8.1 million boost to the Coast's tourism industry.
The cheap tickets coincided with the launch of the new ''Sunshine Coasting'' campaign which is using TV, newspaper, magazine and billboard advertising to attract Sydney and Melbourne visitors here.
The tickets must be used during May and June, which is traditionally the quietest time of the year for the Coast's tourism industry.
Tourism Sunshine Coast general manager John Fitzgerald said the timing couldn't have been better as the new advertising campaign was aimed at people with young children who could visit outside school holidays.
''It's sensational that the announcement of the cheap tickets came at exactly the right time as far as the new marketing effort of the Sunshine Coast is concerned,'' he said.
''It will drive up business when we most need it , in the middle of the year.
''Whatever number of tickets were actually sold, the very fact they sold out so quickly shows the increasing popularity of the Sunshine Coast to Sydney and Melbourne people.
''It's terrific news and our new campaign was right there in people's faces when they were offered the cheap tickets and deciding where to go.'' Bruce Houley from the Tingirana Noosa resort said his phones had been ''ringing off the hook'' from early last Wednesday morning when the cheap tickets became available.
''As soon as ticket sales started , before we even got into work , the phones were jumping and they didn't stop all day,'' he said.
''The availability of such cheap tickets was a real catalyst for people wanting to come to the Sunshine Coast for holidays, particularly during the traditional low period of May and June.
''It's normally the quietest time of the year.
But we had literally scores of calls from people checking on accommodation before they booked their cheap flights.''
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