Community & Business
20 April, 2023
Mayor: new airline big boost to tourism
According to Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio, this week’s arrival of Bonza Airline’s inaugural Melbourne to Toowoomba flight is a massive boost for regional tourism and business operators, event organisers and travellers.
On Monday Mayor Antonio and Toowoomba Region Councillors joined the flight’s welcome party at the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport before the return flight left for Melbourne after 2pm.
The fanfare for the new flight routes followed in the wake of one of the Region’s busiest weekends which drew close to 20,000 people, including many visitors from outside the Region, to Meatstock Toowoomba at the Showgrounds, the Red Hot Summer concert in Queens Park and the Oceania mountain bike championships at Jubilee Park.
“Bonza’s arrival, along with their additional flights from Wellcamp to Townsville and the Whitsunday Coast, is a positive sign for the growth of our tourism market,” Mayor Antonio said.
“The new flights will offer residents across a broad area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales affordable options for business and leisure trips to these new markets.
“Equally as important are the new opportunities for passengers from these destinations to travel and stay across the Toowoomba Region and other parts of Southern Queensland Country.
“There is great scope to encourage visitors to extend their stays and enjoy our unique locations, outdoor adventure pursuits and enviable range of food and beverage offerings.”
Mayor Antonio said events like the weekend’s second Meatstock Toowoomba, the Red Hot Summer concert and mountain biking highlight the number of visitors who are keen to travel for different experiences.
“The new flights will only serve to attract more visitors.
“The Southern Queensland Country area recorded almost 2.5 million domestic overnight visits in the year to September 2022, which shows the areas is bouncing back stronger than before the pandemic.
“The domestic overnight visits exclude more than 3.7 million day trips in the same period and the return of foreign visitors.
“More frequent and convenient air travel links open new business and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors.
“We look forward to welcoming many new visitors across our Region,” he said.
