Travel Agent
24th Sep 2005, 11:44
Source: TTG
http://www.ttglive.com/NTTG_fullstory.asp?ArticleID=3802
The market to Tenerife looks set for a radical shake-up as the island earmarks funds to entice a no-frills carrier from the UK to fly to its northern airport.
A subsidy of £1.2 million has been generated by tourism bodies to tempt a no-frills airline to begin services in April 2006. Tenerife North is currently served direct from the UK only by GB Airways.
The island’s hotel and tourism officials confirmed advanced talks had taken place with Ryanair, which has said it could run six return flights a week from Stansted and Nottingham East Midlands, plus flights from two airports in Germany, mainland Spain, and possibly Dublin and Belgium.
But before any deal could be struck with the Irish carrier, Tenerife is legally required to put its subsidy offer out to tender, which it will do within the next two to three weeks, according to Jose Barreiro, a councillor of Ashotel, Tenerife’s hotels association.
Barreiro, who is also a member of the North Tenerife Promotion Board, said the invitation for applications would then be “published in an official bulletin” in November and a carrier chosen in December.
But he hinted that a smaller airline was unlikely to be chosen as Tenerife is keen to work with a big-name player that has a reputation for reliability and value.
Barreiro said Tenerife “desperately needed” more flights to improve visitor numbers, especially to the upmarket north.
Officials predict the benefits will be similar to those gained by Sardinia, which Ryanair has opened up to UK visitors.
The UK is the Canary island’s biggest source market, with 1.7 million British visitors a year heading mainly for mass-market resorts in the south. But numbers have dropped after a shifting of capacity by the big four to the eastern Med and subsequent price rises.
Barreiro said: “Flying to Tenerife is expensive compared with low-cost carrier fares elsewhere. We need more competition which is why we have spoken to Ryanair.”
He insisted the introduction of a no-frills airline would not threaten existing charter carriers, which fly to the south, but warned: “It could be a way of getting them to be more competitive on price rather than making £75 profit on every seat.”
Ryanair’s interest in Tenerife – four hours from the UK – is a shift from its traditional preference for flights of up to two hours, and it could now be enticed to the Greek islands and beyond.
The carrier refused to comment on the Tenerife talks.
The developments tie in with a drive to promote Tenerife to the UK industry. Advantage will be holding its conference there next May, and the island looks set to host the Abta Travel Convention in 2007.
http://www.ttglive.com/NTTG_fullstory.asp?ArticleID=3802
The market to Tenerife looks set for a radical shake-up as the island earmarks funds to entice a no-frills carrier from the UK to fly to its northern airport.
A subsidy of £1.2 million has been generated by tourism bodies to tempt a no-frills airline to begin services in April 2006. Tenerife North is currently served direct from the UK only by GB Airways.
The island’s hotel and tourism officials confirmed advanced talks had taken place with Ryanair, which has said it could run six return flights a week from Stansted and Nottingham East Midlands, plus flights from two airports in Germany, mainland Spain, and possibly Dublin and Belgium.
But before any deal could be struck with the Irish carrier, Tenerife is legally required to put its subsidy offer out to tender, which it will do within the next two to three weeks, according to Jose Barreiro, a councillor of Ashotel, Tenerife’s hotels association.
Barreiro, who is also a member of the North Tenerife Promotion Board, said the invitation for applications would then be “published in an official bulletin” in November and a carrier chosen in December.
But he hinted that a smaller airline was unlikely to be chosen as Tenerife is keen to work with a big-name player that has a reputation for reliability and value.
Barreiro said Tenerife “desperately needed” more flights to improve visitor numbers, especially to the upmarket north.
Officials predict the benefits will be similar to those gained by Sardinia, which Ryanair has opened up to UK visitors.
The UK is the Canary island’s biggest source market, with 1.7 million British visitors a year heading mainly for mass-market resorts in the south. But numbers have dropped after a shifting of capacity by the big four to the eastern Med and subsequent price rises.
Barreiro said: “Flying to Tenerife is expensive compared with low-cost carrier fares elsewhere. We need more competition which is why we have spoken to Ryanair.”
He insisted the introduction of a no-frills airline would not threaten existing charter carriers, which fly to the south, but warned: “It could be a way of getting them to be more competitive on price rather than making £75 profit on every seat.”
Ryanair’s interest in Tenerife – four hours from the UK – is a shift from its traditional preference for flights of up to two hours, and it could now be enticed to the Greek islands and beyond.
The carrier refused to comment on the Tenerife talks.
The developments tie in with a drive to promote Tenerife to the UK industry. Advantage will be holding its conference there next May, and the island looks set to host the Abta Travel Convention in 2007.