Cheaper fares and strong dollar lure more overseas

By WAYNE THOMPSON

Keener airline competition and a stronger New Zealand dollar are encouraging a big jump in the number of New Zealanders travelling overseas.

Travel research firm asmal said September's total departures, including business trips, reached nearly 150,000, up 10 per cent on a year ago.

Overseas holiday trips in September rose 13 per cent compared with 12 months earlier.

Travel retailers said customers were taking advantage of a price war on transtasman air routes and the rising New Zealand dollar.

Flight Centre spokesman Shane Parlato welcomed figures showing a 23 per cent rise for holiday travellers to the United States, 27 per cent to Fiji and 18 per cent to Australia.

The dollar, a strong economy and the easing of worldwide security fears explained the increase in travel to North America.

Mr Parlato said there would be increased interest in Australia and Asia holidays with the arrival of new airlines to New Zealand.

Emirates Air, Asiana and Royal Brunei Airlines have begun services to New Zealand over the past three months and Virgin's Pacific Blue plans a service in February.

Gullivers Pacific chief executive David Wafer said traveller numbers had gradually risen over the past nine months.

Airfares of just under $2000 had helped a bumper start to bookings for Europe and Britain. Asia was still a slow seller, but areas such as Thailand were buoyant.

Walshes World operations director Michael Hall said New Zealanders would now save on trips to countries which used hard currency, including South America and Africa. Package tours to South America and Canada were passing on currency gains in discounts to consumers.

- additional reporting NZPA