Destination NSW welcomes Air Asia X flights to Sydney

Mr Souris said securing the new daily service to Sydney by AirAsia X, which will commence from mid-2012, will eventually generate around 55,000 more international visitors to the State every year.

“AirAsia X’s new service gives tourists from Malaysia and China and other growing markets more choice on how to fly here and enjoy the many attractions and major events we have on offer in Sydney and NSW.

“This daily service will inject nearly $138 million into NSW every year and is another great step towards the NSW Government’s goal of doubling overnight tourism expenditure by 2020,” Mr Souris said.

Destination NSW CEO, Sandra Chipchase said a new two-year marketing partnership will promote the new service to Sydney to international visitors.

“Destination NSW in conjunction with Sydney Airport, Tourism Australia and AirAsia X will be investing in a two-year marketing and promotion plan for the new AirAsia X Kuala Lumpur to Sydney route.”

“We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with AirAsia X to increase visitation from some of our key international markets. Malaysia is a growing market for visitors to NSW. In the year ending September 2011, NSW welcomed 46,000 visitors from Malaysia. Most Malaysians visit Sydney and NSW for holidays and to visit friends and relatives, and more than 70 per cent of Malaysian visitors make repeat visits to NSW,” Ms Chipchase said.

In the year ending September 2011, visitor expenditure to NSW from Malaysia totalled $142 million, an increase of over 75 per cent on the previous year ($81 million in 2010).

AirAsia X CEO, Azran Osman-Rani said he was delighted that Sydney, one of the world’s great cities, will be joining the airline’s expansive network.

“It’s been a long time coming, but we are thrilled to announce that AirAsia is spreading its wings in Australia and finally jetting in to Sydney,” Mr Osman-Rani said.

Sydney Airport CEO, Kerrie Mather, said Sydney Airport worked closely in partnership with the NSW Government and Destination NSW to bring AirAsia X to Sydney.

“The arrival of AirAsia X in Sydney shows that our aviation market is extremely strong and that Sydney is well positioned to take advantage in the strong growth of emerging markets in Asia,” Ms Mather said.

Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy said the Sydney to Kuala Lumpur service is important for Tourism Australia’s 2020 growth goals.

“Tourism Australia welcomes this new daily flight offering. Malaysia is a critical market, now representing Australia’s seventh largest market - and one of our fastest growing. As seen with AirAsia X’s past introduction of new long haul flights into Australia, we foresee a future positive outcome of greater visitor numbers visiting Australia, through this new service,” Mr McEvoy said

For more information on Destination NSW’s involvement in the Destination
NSW/AirAsia X/Sydney Airport/Tourism Australia Marketing Partnership, contact
Destination NSW: Shivanee Brigham, Corporate Communications, +61 (0)2 9931 1564, shivanee.brigham@dnsw.gov.au

AirAsia X - Brenton Gibbs, Tel +61 (0)419 828 440
Sydney Airport - Tracy Ong, +61 02 9667 6470 or +61(0)437 033 479
Tourism Australia - Simon Westaway +61 401 994 627