North West Tourism has urged Jetstar Airlines to keep Broome on its radar as a possible second Western Australian hub for flights to Asia.
North West Tourism has urged Jetstar Airlines to keep Broome on its radar as a possible second Western Australian hub for flights to Asia.
The tourism body today congratulated the airline on starting international flights out of Perth to Jakarta and Bali, and later to Singapore.
North West Tourism chairman Ian Laurance welcomed the new services but indicated that WA needed a second hub to service the rapidly growing north of the state.
"Broome is the obvious choice for this northern hub" he said.
"I am encouraged by Jetstar's predictions that the airline will be 10 times its current size by 2011. I want Broome and the north of WA to be part of this growth strategy."
He acknowledged that Jetstar had been in discussions with Broome International Airport and the state government on the potential for international flights out of Broome.
Mr added that he has made an approach to Premier Colin Barnett and the Minister for Tourism Liz Constable, to provide an incentive package that would result in a carrier such as Jetstar providing the Broome-Singapore service.
"A State Government incentive package for these international flights is on top of our 'wish list' to be funded by the Royalties for Regions policy" he said.
In addition to the Premier and Tourism Minister, Australia's North West Tourism's
'wish list' has also gone to the Regional Development Minister, Brendon Grylls.
"I believe the State Government will grab the opportunity to cerate history for the
north of the State," Mr Laurance said.
"Broome today is in a similar position as Cairns was 20 years ago when international flights commenced into Northern Queensland."
Mr Laurance also said a good example for the new state government to follow is what happened in Darwin.
"The Northern Territory Government committed $8 million to ensure that Jetstar created a hub at Darwin - now Jetstar has 70 flights a week operating through Darwin."
The $8 million was an establishment amount of $5 million plus marketing support of $600,000 a year for 5 years.
"I encourage the WA Government to be bold and follow the Northern Territory example" he said.
Mr Laurance said Australia's North West Tourism will keep hammering away at the airlines and the State Government until Singapore-Broome flights become a reality.
