The current Chief Minister of Northern Territory, Michael Gunner has announced the first-ever flights from China. Donghai Airlines will start the direct non-stop service from Shenzhen from Wednesday 30 May 2018.
The new service by Donghai Airlines would bring thousands of new Chinese visitors to the Northern Territory. It has the potentiality to pump around $32 million into the economy each year, once the route reaches three flights per week at 80 per cent capacity.
Mr Gunner said that they have worked incredibly hard to bring this new route to completion, with forecasts suggesting a potential $32 million increase in visitor expenditure adding significant value to the local economy in Darwin and across the Northern Territory.
Donghai’s direct Shenzhen to Darwin service will provide a significant economic injection into our tourism, retail and hospitality sectors, which will create jobs as well as open up exciting new business and trade links.
The travellers from China spend more on average than other visitors so it is an important and lucrative market.
They are already attracting 18,000 Chinese visitors annually and this new direct flight will allow us to meet, and well and truly exceed, our target of 30,000 visitors from China by 2020.
Shenzhen, with a population of more than 14 million people, is considered China’s ‘Silicon Valley’, so there is also enormous potential to establish new business and trade links.
Donghai Airlines President Yang Jianhong stated the airline will begin its services using a new Boeing 737-800, that later will be upgraded to the new B737 MAX 8.
The flights are expected to operate two times per week, flying on Wednesdays and Sundays from Shenzhen to Darwin and return. The flights will arrive into Darwin at 8:40am and depart at 5:25pm. The departure and return arrival to Shenzhen are timed to connect with other Donghai Airlines services in China.
NT Airports CEO Ian Kew said the new air link between Darwin and China would create over 35,000 airline seats directly into the market.
Tags: Australia, china, Donghai Airlines
