Transtasman plans for Rotorua Airport take off

By REBECCA DEVINE in Rotorua
Rotorua Airport officials say transtasman flights to and from the city will be a success - and now they can prove it.

A new report shows Rotorua could cater for eight flights a week to Australia in the first year of transtasman operation - bringing extra jobs and pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.

The debate over whether the city's airport should turn transtasman has been raging for several years. Supporters say Rotorua's "non-gateway status" is hindering growth.

Those involved with efforts to get transtasman flights to the city believe the new independent report shows they are right to go ahead and prepare for the development.

That's despite a lack of commitment from any airline. They've said they will consider running transtasman services through Rotorua only after the runway has been extended to enable it to happen.

The report, released this week, predicts almost 150 fulltime jobs when transtasman services begin, with an increased spend of more than $9 million into the economy.

Within 20 years the number of new jobs would rise to 450 and more than $28 million more would be pumped into Rotorua.

Initially it is envisaged flights would be between Rotorua and Sydney and Brisbane, with Melbourne being added into the mix a few years later.

Further details of the report, carried out by APR Consultants, are expected to be available within the next few weeks and considerable work still needs to be done before the airport can cater for transtasman flights.

The runway needs to be extended and strengthened, security needs to be increased, noise issues need to be dealt with and an arrivals and departure lounge needs to be built.

The work is expected to cost more than $24 million, although the Rotorua District Council is hopeful it won't have to foot the bill itself.

It plans to run the Rotorua Partners Programme, which was used to fund the new Rotorua Energy Events Centre, to help raise money for the airport development.

The council is also hopeful it may receive funding from Environment Bay of Plenty, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and other sources.

The first stage of the airport's redevelopment is almost complete.

The terminal space has been more than doubled to 3200sq m, while there are now 400 carparks and more parking space for planes.

The proposed extension has won the support of the tourism and events industry.

Destination Rotorua Tourism Marketing assistant general manager Ruth McIntyre described the number of Australian visitors to the city as "pretty abysmal" and said the lack of a transtasman service could be a contributing factor.

Less than 20 per cent of Australians travelling to New Zealand visit Rotorua and that number is expected to drop.

"There is little doubt Rotorua's non-gateway status is hindering growth."

Ms McIntyre said the city was not easy to get to at the moment, and something needed to be done about that. The potential for growth in the Australian market was huge and Rotorua could also tap in to those flying from Europe through Australia.

Event Venues general manager Peter McLeod, responsible for attracting events to Rotorua, said the extensions would be the best possible thing for business. While the focus would be on transtasman flights, it was also likely to result in more domestic flights, he said.

Recently a major Plunket conference to be held in the city was canned because only one-third of delegates could get flights from Wellington.

Mr McLeod said the common response from Australians wanting to hold conferences and events in the city was "we know about Rotorua, thought it had a lot to offer but isn't it a shame about the three-hour bus trip from Auckland".

He said the lack of flights was the biggest issue facing event and conference organisers.

"Having an international airport facility here would open doors that are otherwise closed to us."