Whitsundays welcomes Qantas air boost

Qantas’ decision to resume direct services between Sydney and Hamilton Island from July 2 has been welcomed by the Whitsundays’ tourism body.

“The new direct services between Sydney and Hamilton Island are a great boost for our region and will stimulate visitation, particular in the business travel sector,” Whitsundays Marketing and Development Limited chief executive Danial Rochford said.

“The Sydney market is one of the Whitsundays’ key source markets and I am thrilled to see that connectivity has improved allowing Sydneysiders to be in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef by lunchtime.”

The Qantas route will not only provide additional flights to the region, but will also boost the number of business class seats.

“Whitsundays Business Events, the convention bureaux for the Whitsundays has experienced a significant increase in enquiries over the last six months from the business events sector and the additional air services will help to secure further business for our region,” Rochford said.

It is the latest in a series of air access increases, with new routes to both Hamilton Island’s Great Barrier Reef Airport and Whitsunday Coast Airport.

The new services have been added in response to consumer demand and have been welcomed by businesses in the area, according to Rochford.

“On top of that, a new codeshare agreement between Jetstar and Emirates has added the Whitsundays to the extensive Asia-Pacific route network, improving our region’s connectivity with the international market,” he said.

Qantas’ new route between Sydney and Hamilton Island will provide a return service on Wednesday, Sunday and during peak season on Saturday.