Air New Zealand Announcement Supports Visitor Growth

Lower flight prices are touching down in Palmerston North, following Air New Zealand’s announcement yesterday that it is slashing the price of flights to and from the city.

CEDA works closely with partners such as Air New Zealand, Palmerston North Airport, our council shareholders and other stakeholders in the visitor sector to develop and grow the visitor market for Palmerston North and Manawatū. We welcome this announcement, which will make leisure and business travel even more affordable to and from the city.

With the price drop, Air New Zealand says flights to or from Palmerston North, Hamilton and Wellington will be as low as $39, while flights to and from Auckland or Christchurch will start from $49.

“We know from Palmerston North Airport data that it is traditionally a strong business market, however that is changing and the number of passengers choosing to travel to and from the city for leisure is growing rapidly,” says CEDA Chief Executive Linda Stewart.

Marketing and showcasing all that makes our region a vibrant, interesting and activity-filled destination is one of CEDA’s core objectives and more affordable flights will act as an incentive for people to visit.

“We work with local, national and international media to highlight all that’s on offer from our award-winning restaurants to the city’s vibrant arts and culture, the nature on our backdoor step to the genuine, down-to-earth visitor experience that’s on offer through The Country Road. These features complement the work we do on ManawatuNZ.co.nz and our regional social media channels which feature engaging and interesting content on living, visiting and exploring the region.”

And while we’re talking about Air New Zealand, keep an eye out for Manawatū in the March issue of Kia Ora, Air New Zealand’s in-flight magazine, which features a beautiful multi-page article on the city and region, a direct result of CEDA’s partnership with Air New Zealand.