KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand said today it would open a direct link from Auckland to Vancouver in November.
Group general manager international Ed Sims said Canada had always been an extremely popular destination for New Zealanders.
The route would significantly grow tourism numbers between the two countries which already sees 46,000 Canadians visit New Zealand and 16,000 New Zealanders visit Canada annually, he said.
The reinstatement of the Vancouver link restores a route canned in the 90s.
The services will initially operate three times a week between November and March to coincide with the peak travel season between the two destinations, as Canadians escape winter and New Zealand skiers head to the Canadian slopes.
Mr Sims said Vancouver is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city that provides a convenient gateway to popular destinations such as Whistler, Calgary and the Canadian Rockies.
The new non-stop route will take 13 hours on a new Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.
Flights to Vancouver will begin on November 2 and run through until March 28, 2008. Return tickets from Auckland will cost from $2289.
Tourism New Zealand has welcomed the announcement of new Air New Zealand flights from New Zealand to Vancouver.
"This is great news for our tourism industry," says George Hickton, Tourism New Zealand Chief Executive. "A direct flight will make New Zealand so much more appealing to this market."
Tourism from Canada to New Zealand has been growing strongly for the last few years, with numbers to New Zealand growing by nine per cent in 2006.
"Despite strong growth we believe this market has further potential for New Zealand tourism, says Mr Hickton. Within North America, Ontario and British Columbia specifically are important regions. The convenience of direct flights is going to have a real impact."
STATS
Canadian visitors to New Zealand in 2006: 45,955, an increase of 8.9 per cent
Canadian holiday visitors average length of stay in New Zealand: 26 days
- NZPA, NZ HERALD STAFF
