Rotorua Queenstown Flights?Rotorua's Daily Post reports that the thermal resort's international airport may lobby Air New Zealand for direct flights between Rotorua and Queenstown. The paper says the airline won't be drawn on whether such a service would be viable but tourism leaders say it could be a short-term fix to counter tourist cancellations resulting from the disasters in Christchurch and Japan. Airport manager George White said some international groups had delayed travelling to New Zealand because of the earthquake in Christchurch and the Japanese would not be travelling. Meanwhile, other people who used to travel between Rotorua and Christchurch for business were unlikely to be doing so while the city was being rebuilt. There were three flights between Rotorua and Christchurch and Mr White said he feared Rotorua would miss out on tourists who were no longer flying to Christchurch and so not using the Christchurch-Rotorua connection. ”The last thing we want is Rotorua being dropped off an itinerary for inbound groups and planes flying over our heads [not stopping in Rotorua].” Mr White said he was working on a business plan to present to Air New Zealand. The Daily Post reported that Skyline Rotorua had had 800 cancellations as a result of the Christchurch earthquake and general manager Neville Nicholson said he would support a Rotorua to Queenstown flight. With inbound groups cancelling entire New Zealand itineraries due to the quake, direct flights between Rotorua and Queenstown would provide a “short-term fix” for inbound tour operators and wholesalers, he said.
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