How to… attract AirAsia X
The relationship between AirAsia X and Gold Coast Airport has gone from strength to strength since 2007, writes Michael Curtis, international business development manager for Gold Coast Airport.
A
irAsia X began serving Gold Coast Airport in 2007 – and it was a ‘fi rst’ for both the carrier and the airport. The route from Kuala Lumpur marked AirAsia X’s fi rst international service, and it was also our fi rst new long-haul international service following the airport’s A$20 million runway extension.
It was a big moment for us both and since then the relationship has gone from strength to strength. Since AirAsia X started direct services in 2007, Malaysian visitors to Queensland have increased by 90% and now rate in the top 10 for total international passenger numbers to both Queensland and Australia.
Strong partnership We truly view AirAsia X as a partner and we work collaboratively with them. It’s a unique relationship and we now even welcome a signifi cant team of AirAsia X staff who travel each year to compete in the Gold Coast Airport Marathon. Their CEO, Azran Osman- Rani, leads the team and has completed the full 42km marathon for the past two years. We also have an annual football tournament between
44 TOP TIPS
1) Work in true partnership – ensure your destination is open and ready to welcome tourism and leisure markets.
2) Be open to understanding the needs of low-cost carriers.
3) Be prepared to work collaboratively on marketing activity with external stakeholders.
Gold Coast Airport staff and AirAsia X staff, the venue of which rotates between the Gold Coast and Malaysia each year.
Our new A$100 million terminal redevelopment was offi cially launched in January 2010 and Osman-Rani travelled to the Gold Coast to celebrate
this event – another indication of the true partnership that we have with the airline, which is so much more than a mere business arrangement.
Initial stages
Looking back, we began negotiations with the carrier during our runway extension project and the talks took about six months. From the outset AirAsia X was excited about making the Gold Coast their first international destination.
Experiencing the destination We were lucky that our stunning destination really sells itself and we were able to stand out from our competitors.
Part of our “sales pitch” was to show AirAsia X’s team the incredible highlights we have to offer – from fabulous beaches to rainforest hinterland, with everything from theme parks and city attractions to natural wonderlands in between. We have all of this on offer in both the south east Queensland and the northern New South Wales regions, including Byron Bay. We know we have a major draw card for international visitors and we
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