Virgin Blue's lower fares philosophy has contributed to a boom in visitor numbers to Fiji and Vanuatu after the first twelve months of flights to Nadi and Port Vila by Virgin Blue's international airline PacificBlue^.
PacificBlue^ flights from Australia to both Fiji and Vanuatu were launched one year ago this month driving spectacular growth in visitor numbers including:
“We launched South Pacific flights with the direct intention of stimulating the market and creating more demand. We have always emphasised the aim of “growing the pie” and making it more affordable for more people to travel.”
He continued, “Virgin Blue is five years old this year and we are intent on taking the affordable fares philosophy we brought to Australia to new market segments including business travel and to new destinations including the South Pacific Island countries. The impact of low cost carriers on the tourism industry is blatantly obvious and it's clear that more Australians have been attracted to the South Pacific due to the affordable fares that true competition brings.”
Since launching services to Nadi and Port Vila 12 months ago, PacificBlue has increased capacity on both routes as well as introducing direct flights from Sydney to Fiji.
Today, PacificBlue offers 11 flights per week to Fiji, with direct services from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, while Vanuatu has two direct flights per week from Brisbane.
Virgin Blue's international airline PacificBlue has recently announced it will commence flights from both Australia and New Zealand to Tonga` in October, and flights between Australia/New Zealand and Samoa` will commence from late October to be operated by Polynesian Blue, the new joint venture carrier formed between Virgin Blue and the Government of Samoa.
^ International flights to New Zealand operated by PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z.) Ltd. International flights to Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and the Cook Islands offered by PacificBlue Airlines (Aust) Pty. Ltd. and operated by PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z.) Ltd. International flights to Samoa offered by Polynesian Blue Limited using PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z) Ltd. Aircraft
` Subject to regulatory approval
* Bureau of Transport and Regional Services (BTRE) publication "International Scheduled Air Transport - Aviation Statistics" and are for the period September 04 to April 05.
PacificBlue^ flights from Australia to both Fiji and Vanuatu were launched one year ago this month driving spectacular growth in visitor numbers including:
- 56% growth Brisbane-Fiji since PacificBlue entry*
- 47% growth Melbourne-Fiji since PacificBlue entry*
- 21% growth overall Australia-Fiji since PacificBlue entry*
- 37% growth Brisbane-Vanuatu since PacificBlue's entry*
“We launched South Pacific flights with the direct intention of stimulating the market and creating more demand. We have always emphasised the aim of “growing the pie” and making it more affordable for more people to travel.”
He continued, “Virgin Blue is five years old this year and we are intent on taking the affordable fares philosophy we brought to Australia to new market segments including business travel and to new destinations including the South Pacific Island countries. The impact of low cost carriers on the tourism industry is blatantly obvious and it's clear that more Australians have been attracted to the South Pacific due to the affordable fares that true competition brings.”
Since launching services to Nadi and Port Vila 12 months ago, PacificBlue has increased capacity on both routes as well as introducing direct flights from Sydney to Fiji.
Today, PacificBlue offers 11 flights per week to Fiji, with direct services from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, while Vanuatu has two direct flights per week from Brisbane.
Virgin Blue's international airline PacificBlue has recently announced it will commence flights from both Australia and New Zealand to Tonga` in October, and flights between Australia/New Zealand and Samoa` will commence from late October to be operated by Polynesian Blue, the new joint venture carrier formed between Virgin Blue and the Government of Samoa.
^ International flights to New Zealand operated by PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z.) Ltd. International flights to Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and the Cook Islands offered by PacificBlue Airlines (Aust) Pty. Ltd. and operated by PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z.) Ltd. International flights to Samoa offered by Polynesian Blue Limited using PacificBlue Airlines (N.Z) Ltd. Aircraft
` Subject to regulatory approval
* Bureau of Transport and Regional Services (BTRE) publication "International Scheduled Air Transport - Aviation Statistics" and are for the period September 04 to April 05.