Air New Zealand launches initiative to increase visitor numbers from Japan

Air New Zealand is to operate a special summer charter service to help grow visitor arrivals from Japan into New Zealand.

The airline will operate charters from Nagoya and Okinawa over the peak December-January tourist season, Chris Myers General Manager Japan said today.

The initiative is being supported by Tourism New Zealand, Auckland Airport, Asia’s largest travel agency group JTB, the Okinawa Tourist Service (OKS), Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT), Meitetsu World Travel (MWT), Club Tourism (CTJ) and Nokyo Tourist Corporation (CTS).

Mr Myers said the charter service was the product of discussions last year between Air New Zealand and JTB about ways to stimulate travel between New Zealand and Japan.

The airline will be utilising 223-seat Boeing 767 aircraft, bringing in an additional 1100 Japanese tourists to the country over summer.

“Japan remains a very important market for New Zealand, contributing 96,000 tourists last year – our fifth largest market. It is also one of our highest spending markets,” says Mr Myers.

“We are committed to growing tourism numbers from Japan and have been working hard to promote the “new” New Zealand, with the aim of attracting tourists to experience-based activities such as hiking and kayaking.”

Mr Myers said the airline was deliberately focusing on potential tourists from Nagoya and Okinawa as a complement to those already travelling on Air New Zealand’s scheduled services from Tokyo and Osaka.

“Japan is a challenging market, however we believe we can grow visitor numbers by working closely with our partners to identify potential opportunities, particularly in niche groups of travellers,” he says.

Air New Zealand has previously operated charter services between Japan and New Zealand and Mr Myers said the opportunity to do so again was part of a longer-term strategy to grow the market.

Auckland Airport’s General Manager aeronautical business development, Glenn Wedlock, said “This Japan charter initiative of Air New Zealand’s is a good example of a joint-venture approach to air service development, using the combined strength of Air New Zealand, Auckland Airport, government and industry to attract and develop tourism markets”.

The charter services are scheduled to operate, on Monday 28 December, 4 January, 11 January, 18 January and 25 January.

Schedule details are:

Date Departing Arriving

Monday 28 December Nagoya 1730 Auckland 0825+1

Monday 04 January Auckland 0830 Nagoya 1600

Nagoya 1730 Auckland 0825+1

Monday 11 January Auckland 0830 Nagoya 1600

Nagoya 1730 Auckland 0825+1

Monday 18 January Auckland 0830 Nagoya 1600

Okinawa 2030 Auckland 1100+1

Monday 25 January Auckland 1000 Okinawa 1700