General News
4 September, 2023
Cathay eyes off Far North
CAIRNS is at the forefront of Cathay Pacific’s future plans following a city delegation to Hong Kong last month.
Delegation leader Cairns MP Michael Healy said the delegation, which included business, tourism and airport leaders, was the first to Hong Kong since the borders re-opened after COVID.
“The timing was good. We know that there are challenges facing aviation, but this (meeting) ensured Cairns was at the forefront of any decisions ahead,” he said.
“Cathay appreciated that we had taken the time to meet them.”
Mr Healy said the delegation, which included Cairns Airport boss Richard Barker, Advance Cairns chief executive officer Jacinta Reddan, Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen, Cairns Regional Trade Distribution Centre managing director Barbara Ford and Quicksilver and Crystalbrook Collection executives, met key decision makers at the airline and it was “very positive”. As well as a lunch with senior executives, the delegates were also shown Cathay’s simulators.
Mr Healy said there was demand for the region’s produce and the delegation demonstrated to Cathay Pacific a commitment in freight volumes.
He said it was too early to speculate about passenger and cargo services as Cathay was still rebuilding its network and staffing was a critical issue.
But Mr Healy said as Cathay started expanding its routes, Cairns was expected to come into play.
He said he planned to hold forums in Cairns with producers, exporters, airlines and other stakeholders to start identifying products and markets that could be exported through Cairns Airport’s regional distribution centre.
Another forum would focus on passenger services and he said Cathay and other airlines would be invited to both.
The carrier axed flights to Cairns in October 2019 after 25 years in a shock move which cut $200m in annual visitor spending and $100 million in fresh seafood and produce exports.
The aim of the meeting was to build relationships with a view to restoring wide-body direct flights between Cairns and Hong Kong, reopening important North Asia markets for Far North Queensland’s premium agricultural and seafood produce.
On the tourism front there is significant opportunity for growth from southern China, Hong Kong and Taiwan which represent just five per cent of the region’s international tourism numbers.
The region’s geographic proximity to key markets in North Asia was highlighted by the delegation as a distinct advantage, with the long-term potential to make fresh premium food and seafood products available to the fast-growing Asia consumer market.
Cathay Pacific was contacted for comment.
