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QUEENSLAND Airports Limited, the group behind Queensland's regional airports, has recorded its busiest November ever, collectively growing 4.8 per cent on November 2016.
Almost 700,000 passengers passed through the four ports of QAL, with Gold Coast, Townsville, and Mount Isa all recording growth on the year prior.
Mount Isa saw the largest growth of the four, with 10.8 per cent more passengers passing through this November than in 2016. In total, Mount Isa saw 135,321 passengers pass through.
Townsville also saw considerable growth, with 135,321 passing through, or growth of 8.8 per cent on November 2016.
The Gold Coast airpot bore the brunt of passengers, with 544,012 passing through the airport a growth of 3.7 per cent on November 2016.
CEO of QAL Chris Mills says the Gold Coast airport benefited from strong demand in domestic and long haul international services this month.
"It's pleasing to report another record month of growth at Gold Coast Airport," says Mills.
"Our increase in passenger movements this November shows the strength of the region."
As is usual for the Gold Coast around November, much of the traffic was driven by the influx of schoolies and tourists coming to enjoy the idyllic Gold Coast November. However, Mills says an injection of business trips from Sydney helped push the figures up this year.
"Gold Coast Airport's biggest market is Sydney which showed a six per cent increase for the month of November," says Mills.
During the period, the Gold Coast airport introduced a new direct service with Hobart with Tigerair, which will bode well for the GC over summer.
"These services will provide a welcome boost for tourism in both cities and have arrived right in time for the busy summer holiday period," says Mills.
Services to and from Townsville were impacted by the volcanic activity in Bali, but were buoyed by trips to Melbourne according to Mills.
"Townsville's domestic market has been going from strength to strength, assisted by the addition of Tigerair's Melbourne services earlier this year."
"This is great for the Townsville economy, and underlines the importance of getting on with the capital upgrades in the airport, which are required to meet future growth."
After a strong result in October, Longreach airport passenger numbers for November were steady when compared to the year prior.
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