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Australian airline V-Australia begins daily Sydney-Nadi services today, with its 181 seats a day between the two cities raising tourism hopes of accelerating the rebound from the traditional destination.
The inaugural flight is scheduled to touch down at the Nadi International Airport at 2.20pm.
Tourism Fiji’s regional director Australia Paresh Pant said the new services will accelerate Fiji’s “steadily growing visitor numbers from Australia”.
Pant said while there had been a drop in Australian visitor arrivals in the first three months of the year, the upsurge in arrivals in recent months “had been nothing short of breathtaking”, with a new arrival record of 26,000-plus Australian visitors in September.
He said the airline’s entry would have a major impact on tourist arrivals from Australia in the coming months.
“Add that the fact V Australia will be a game changer for the conference and incentive market, its full service Business and Premium Economy products will undoubtedly prove a catalyst for an increase in the top end leisure travel market,” Pant said.
V Australia’s executive general manager Scott Swift who will be onboard today’s flight said the launch signals the start of more options for travellers between Australia and Fiji.
“V Australia’s new services will also help to boost international visitors from the US to the spoils of the Fiji islands with convenient connections for inbound tourists from America now available via Sydney.”
V Australia is part of the Virgin Blue Airline Group. Sister airline Pacific Blue commenced services to Nadi in September 2004.
Competition on the Fiji-Australia route will heat up further when Qantas subsidiary Jetstar begins daily services between Nadi and Sydney from March.
