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Hong Kong Airlines has arrived on the Gold Coast, providing the city’s first non-stop connection to Hong Kong since before COVID-19.
The first flight of the seasonal Lunar New Year service touched down on Friday aboard the A330-300 B-LHG, with the route to operate four times per week until 15 February. According to Queensland Airports Limited, the route will deliver 5,000 seats to the Gold Coast over the next four weeks.
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“We’re delighted to welcome Hong Kong Airlines’ guests to our beautiful city of Gold Coast and can’t wait for them to experience the best of an Australian summer across the whole region,” Queensland Airports CEO Amelia Evans said.
“Before the pandemic, China was the Gold Coast’s number one international market, attracting more than 300,000 visitors a year.
“We hope this connection with Hong Kong will pave the way for longer-term services across our key markets in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area, and Mainland China.”
The Gold Coast saw 56,000 Chinese visitors in the year ending September 2024, making it a significant source market for the city.
The Hong Kong Airlines route was secured with the backing of Queensland’s Attracting Aviation Investment Fund, with Tourism Minister Andrew Powell saying it will boost the local economy.
“This service is expected to bring $9.14 million in overnight visitor expenditure, supporting up to 90 local jobs,” he said.
“These visitors can go from the tarmac to the beach quicker and easier than ever with this service, an excellent opportunity for the local economy and tourism operators. This is another win for the $200 million Attracting Aviation Investment Fund.”
More than 280,000 Chinese and Hong Kong visitors per year came to the Gold Coast prior to 2018, which Experience Gold Coast CEO John Warn said last year was worth $430.3 million to the Gold Coast economy.
“The market is still on the long road to recovery with $96.7 million, or 53,000 visitors, contributed to the Gold Coast economy in year ending March 2024,” Warn said.
Gold Coast Airport saw a 5 per cent year-on-year increase in international passengers in the 2024 financial year, with trans-Tasman routes stronger at an 8 per cent increase.
