12 March, 2015

Newcastle the gateway to regional tourism

Newcastle Airport has received a double shot of tourism support, with stage one of its upgrade complete, at the same time as direct flights to Canberra kick off.

Newcastle Airport has welcomed stage one of a $14.5 million expansion of Newcastle Airport with open arms.

The expansion will see a 50% bigger terminal boost capacity, facilitate growth of domestic flights, and provide infrastructure to bring in the big guns from overseas in the future.

Meanwhile the new direct flights have started between Newcastle and Canberra, with the new arrivals hall at Newcastle to see conference delegates be personally welcomed on TV screens and by airport ambassadors.

The aim of the game is to boost business tourism in the Great Hunter region, according to the leaders of Altogether Perfect marketing group tasked with luring more corporate travellers to Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley.

Sydney-based Pelican Airlines will launch direct flights between Newcastle and Canberra on April 27, 2015, under its Fly Pelican brand, using 19-seat BAE Jetstream 32 turboprop aircraft.

The airline will offer a morning service from Newcastle to the national capital and a late afternoon return flight plus a Sunday afternoon service. A short service between Newcastle and Sydney Airport will also operate.

Stage two of Newcastle’s airport expansion, which includes a full refurbishment of the existing terminal and improvements to the departures area, will be completed by late 2015.

A 95-room hotel worth a cool $8 million will also lift off next to the airport later this year.

Serving nearby Newcastle, Port Stephens and the Hunter Valley, Newcastle Airport is the second busiest airport in NSW and the 12th busiest in Australia, with 170 domestic flights a week and 1.2 million passengers a year.

Currently Virgin Australia, Jetstar, QantasLink and Regional Express offer direct flights between Newcastle and Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ballina and Taree.

Newcastle Convention Bureau’s business events and conventions developer, Georgia Lazzari, said the new-look Newcastle Airport and the new Canberra connection lifted the appeal of business events in Newcastle, the Hunter Valley and Port Stephens.

“As the base for many government departments, Canberra is obviously a key source of business for conferences and meetings in our region and when corporate groups arrive here, Newcastle Airport is now able to personally welcome them so we see expect to see more corporate travellers from Canberra heading to the Greater Hunter soon,” Lazzari said.

Advertise with us

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

altogether perfect canberra greater hunter region Newcastle Newcastle Airport