The Singapore Airlines subsidiary has already promised $59 fares from
Melbourne to the Gold Coast when it begins operations next month.
The cut-throat air fare war coincides with plans by AirAsia X to run flights
from India to Kuala Lumpur and on to the Gold Coast, and Air New Zealand taking
over from Freedom Air as the primary Kiwi carrier into the Gold Coast, starting
in March.
The surge in aviation support follows a concerted effort by Gold Coast
Tourism and Gold Coast Airport to broaden its marketing focus to include
Singapore, Dubai, China, Japan, the Middle East, New Zealand and the UK.
Gold Coast Tourism executives in those key markets are together this week for
a strategy meeting, titled 'Changing The Fortunes of a Destination'.
Gold Coast Tourism chief executive Pavan Bhatia said yesterday the city was
on target to receive two million more visitors over the next four years, and the
goal was to entice them into spending an extra $750 a visit.
Research shows that Arabs spend $1300 a visit, the Japanese $2200, Americans
$3000 and Indians $700.
"We have been actively pursuing this strategy for 16 months and we've had a
few wins, such as Tiger Airways and AirAsia X airlines," he said.
"But the job has just begun. We aim to attract an extra 1000 tourists a day
over the next four years."
After the success of its Global Business Insight conference on the Gold Coast
earlier this year, Gold Coast Tourism will be hosting its next business tourism
event in Dubai next month.
Keynote speaker will be Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian who served as the seventh
Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997, to January 1,
2007, in two five-year terms. He was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize
in 2001.
Virgin boss and billionaire Brit Sir Richard Branson, who set up the highly
successful Virgin Airlines in Australia, will also speak.
"We're buying lunch for 1500 business executives in Dubai to show them we are
serious about the Gold Coast as a place to invest, particularly hotel
investment," said Mr Bhatia.
With seven overseas offices, Gold Coast Tourism is also trying to broaden not
only the leisure market but business tourism.
Mr Bhatia said the low-cost aviation model being employed by Jetstar, Tiger,
Virgin, AirAsia X and Air New Zealand gave holidaymakers more money to
spend.
"There is a strong school of thought that the aviation fare war puts more
money in people's pockets when they arrive and that means we can target a higher
spend," he said.
Bollywood film producers are currently on the Gold Coast, working out
locations for the blockbuster Singh is King, which will have the start of Indy
as its opening scene.
Gold Coast Tourism's Mumbai-based boss Sharon Harvey said Singh is King would
be launched in 1200 cinemas across India in May next year.
