Damien O'Connor

29 September, 2008
Rural economy will benefit from new Air NZ flights

Wairarapa's rural economy will benefit hugely from new flights between Auckland and Masterton, Tourism Minister Damien O'Connor said today.

The Minister was referring to an announcement from Air New Zealand this morning that a new direct service between the two cities will start in February next year.

Mr O'Connor said the news is fantastic for both international and domestic travellers.

"It is great to see our national airline offering these new flights. Not only will our international visitors be contributing more money to our rural economy, but it will now be easier for domestic travellers to see more of New Zealand.

"The Wairarapa is beautiful and famous for its wonderful food and wine. It has been too hard to get there for some of our international visitors who have limited time in New Zealand. This new service will make it so much easier for us to showcase this wonderful region.

"The New Zealand Tourism Strategy 2015 highlights the importance of quality domestic air capacity and transport links. Affordable air connections and other convenient transport links are essential for the growth of domestic tourism. They will also help the tourism industry maximise the value of international visitors by making it easy for them to explore more widely and spend more while they are here. This new service will do just that, as well as catering for our domestic travellers.

"I congratulate Air New Zealand on this new service. It's great to see it is extending its range of services even further," said Mr O'Connor.

ENDS

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