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THE first China Southern commercial charter flight has landed at Gold Coast Airport this morning carrying 271 passengers.
The flight, originating from Guangzhou, is the first of two coming to the Coast and will be followed by a flight from Shenzhen on February 8.
Cathay Pacific will also operate a charter service from Hong Kong, arriving February 2, for the second consecutive year.
The passengers have chosen to visit the Gold Coast to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Gold Coast Airport Chief Operating Officer Paul Donovan says the charter flights are a real show of confidence by the airlines in the Gold Coast and Southeast Queensland, areas which are proving popular amongst Chinese tourists.
“Over recent years we have observed a significant increase in the number of Chinese passengers travelling through Gold Coast Airport and we are hopeful this will continue to grow into the future,” says Donovan.
“We are confident these passengers will return to China and Hong Kong with a wonderful and lasting impression of the Gold Coast, and will be armed with first-hand experiences to draw on in order to promote our wonderful city to their family and friends.”
China Southern has landed at Coolangatta in the past, when an executive incentive flight delivered 270 VIPs to the city in 2011.
Gold Coast Tourism Director Ben Pole says this will be the Gold Coast’s biggest Chinese New Year on record.
“The continued growth in Chinese visitor arrivals and our work to attract a more independent and higher yielding Chinese traveller is generating better returns for the local tourism industry, the popularity of these Chinese New Year holidays is evidence of that,” he says.
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