Etihad boosts Sydney services from October

Minister for Tourism Matt Brown, today joined Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, to jointly announce that the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will add an extra four flights a week from Abu Dhabi to Sydney beginning 31 October, to take its weekly total to eleven.

“Etihad Airways’ new services will bring an extra 50,000 travellers to NSW. These international visitors will inject an extra $20 million into the NSW economy each year, and create 20 new full time jobs,” said Mr Brown.

“Etihad’s choice of Sydney for additional flights confirms the city’s status as both a great tourist destination and Australia’s global city.”

This announcement was made just after the first anniversary of the commencement of Etihad’s services to Australia.

“Etihad began flying to Sydney in March last year with three weekly services and as of June the services increased to daily,” Mr Brown said.

“In the first year of its Sydney-Abu Dhabi service a total of more than 100,000 passengers have flown between the two cities and once the new flights commence this will increase our capacity to more than a quarter of a million passengers a year.”

Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan said Sydney had been Etihad’s most successful launch since the airline began in 2003.

“Etihad Airways’ flights to Sydney have made a positive contribution to trade and tourism between the UAE, other points in our global network and NSW,” Mr Hogan said.

“Since we started flights to Sydney early last year demand has been very strong and the growth of our Australian operation, including the launch of Brisbane, has created more jobs and business opportunities both here and abroad.

“Australia and Australians have played a significant role in our ascent and I am confident that this upward trend will continue.”

Mr Brown said: “The new Etihad flights add to what will be an exciting time for Sydney in the last quarter of this year with V Australia commencing daily Los Angeles flights and Qantas also flying three times each week from Buenos Aires, Argentina into Sydney.”

“These additional flights could mean an extra 4400 visitors into Sydney each week spending an average of $8 million in the lead up to Christmas.”

“The NSW Government’s strategy of working with airlines to secure new flights to Sydney from key international markets is going from strength to strength.” 

Mr Brown said Tourism NSW would undertake a cooperative marketing campaign with Etihad targeting key markets in the UK and Europe to attract the high yield traveler.

“A major opportunity arising from our partnership with Etihad is to leverage its extensive European network to market to the high yield traveller from the UK and Europe.”

“The Middle East hub in Abu Dhabi also provides opportunities for growth in this developing high yield long stay market.”

Research shows more than 24,000 people from the Middle East visited NSW in 2007, an increase of 50 per cent over the number of visitors for 2003.

Visitor nights will increase by more than half a million more visitor nights each year, supporting the State Plan goal of increasing visitor nights to NSW to 10 million a year by 2016.

A Report by The Mole