The travel industry in Australia, and particularly Melbourne, is heartened by the recent announcement by China Airlines to offer international flights into Melbourne, expecting the new flights to boost visitor arrivals quickly.
The travel industry in Australia, and particularly
Melbourne, is heartened by the recent announcement by China Airlines to offer
international flights into Melbourne, expecting the new flights to boost visitor
arrivals quickly.
China Airlines will become the 26th airline to fly into
Victoria, and will provide a tri-weekly service that will depart from Taipei
and fly to Melbourne and Christchurch.
One grateful party is The Accommodation Association of Australia.
“We congratulate the Victorian Government on forging ahead
with a policy to attract more international visitors; it is no coincidence that
extra airline capacity has the strongest impact in increasing demand for
accommodation,” said The Accommodation Association of Australia's CEO, Richard
Munro.
Last year, Melbourne Airport welcomed 40,000 Taipei
visitors, making the Taiwan capital the 14th largest market for Victoria.
“Taiwan is an emerging market, and along with
China, represents a significant growth opportunity that will have a positive
impact on our tourism industry. It is estimated that by 2020, more than 200
million Chinese and Taiwanese people will be travelling to destinations
including Australia,” added Munro. “This will not only be a driver for existing
properties but serve to encourage the development of new properties in
Melbourne, facilitate the upgrade of our existing rooms stocks, and drive jobs
growth in the sector as well.”