Tourists rush for NZ break

By CHRIS DANIELS

A record tourist season is set to kick off next week, with the start of aviation's "Northern Winter Schedule".

Tourism experts are predicting an extra 100,000 people will visit over the next few months, bringing in an additional $300 million in earnings.

Tuesday marks the beginning of the season where airlines start moving their planes from the sunny climes of the Northern Hemisphere to start serving the booming local tourism market.

Auckland Airport chief executive Don Huse said long-term passenger growth had been around 5 per cent to 7 per cent a year.

Last year, airlines increased capacity into the airport by 30 per cent, an enlargement matched by a 14 per cent jump in passenger numbers.

This year, there will be no more flights put on than last summer, but the airlines will be hoping for fewer empty seats.

"This year, it is expected that much of the remainder of those seats will be taken up," said Huse.

Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said: "This summer will be another record for tourism. All of our international markets are in growth phase again."

Up to 900,000 tourists are booked to come in December, January and February.

This is an expected jump of 100,000 from last year, which should bring in an extra $300 million in foreign exchange earnings.

Air New Zealand is increasing capacity into Auckland by 1 per cent, into Wellington by 19 per cent and 50 per cent to Christchurch.

Most of the Christchurch increase is due to the start of a new three-times-a-week Boeing 747 service between the city and Los Angeles.

Singapore Airlines North Island manager Murray Wild said the extra capacity put on this summer for the airline would be at Christchurch, rather than Auckland.

SIA last increased its flights to Auckland in April, but will begin two new flights a week to and from Christchurch, meaning daily flights between the city and Singapore.

Wild said these new flights to Christchurch were being put on as permanent additions, not just for the summer season.

Cathay Pacific New Zealand and the Pacific Islands country manager David Figgins said the airline was increasing its flights from 10 to 12 a week.

Forward bookings were good, with Cathay near to finalising aircraft upgrades, ensuring more seats were available to accommodate passengers wanting to either come to New Zealand or head to Asia for the holidays.

The surge in passenger numbers is also prompting a lot of building work at Auckland International Airport.

By the end of next year, the company hopes to have finished a new top level on the international pier and new baggage-handling facilities.

This work is needed to meet new security procedures, which mean outgoing and incoming passengers should be separated and all baggage stowed in aircraft is screened.

Passenger numbers at Auckland airport exceeded 10 million for the first time last year, with 10.8 million passengers going through.