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Last Updated: Monday, 17 April 2023 16:03

Published: Monday, 17 April 2023 14:52

Today’s (April 17, 2023) arrival of Bonza Airline’s inaugural Melbourne to Toowoomba flight is a massive boost for regional tourism and business operators, event organisers and travellers, according to Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio.

Mayor Antonio and Toowoomba Region Councillors today joined the flight’s welcome party at the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport before the return flight left for Melbourne after 2pm.

The fanfare for the new flight routes followed in the wake of one of the Region’s busiest weekends which drew close to 20,000 people, including many visitors from outside the Region, to Meatstock Toowoomba at the Showgrounds, the popular Red Hot Summer concert in Queens Park and the Oceania mountain bike championships at Jubilee Park.

“Bonza’s arrival, along with their additional flights from Wellcamp to Townsville and the Whitsunday Coast, is a positive sign for the growth of our tourism market,” Mayor Antonio said.

“The new flights will offer residents across a broad area of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales affordable options for business and leisure trips to these new markets.

“Equally as important are the new opportunities for passengers from these destinations to travel and stay across the Toowoomba Region and other parts of Southern Queensland Country.

“There is great scope to encourage visitors to extend their stays and enjoy our unique locations, outdoor adventure pursuits and enviable range of food and beverage offerings.

“Events like the weekend’s second Meatstock Toowoomba, the Red Hot Summer concert and mountain biking highlight the number of visitors who are keen to travel for different experiences. The new flights will only serve to attract more visitors.

“The Southern Queensland Country area recorded almost 2.5 million domestic overnight visits in the year to September 2022, which shows the areas is bouncing back stronger than before the pandemic,” said Mayor Antonio, who chairs Toowoomba Regional Council’s Economic Development Committee. (*See more figures below. The domestic overnight visits exclude more than 3.7 million daytrips in the same period and the return of foreign visitors)

“Council congratulates the Wagner Corporation and the team at Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport, Bonza Airlines, the various tourism and associated bodies who have joined forces to make the new flights a reality.

“More frequent and convenient air travel links open new business and tourism opportunities for residents and visitors.

“We look forward to welcoming many new visitors across our Region.”

Caption: Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio (left) welcomes Bonza founder and CEO Tim Jordan and his wife Simone to Toowoomba following their arrival on the airline’s first flight from Melbourne to the Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport.

Southern Queensland Country tourism figures (for the year to September 2022). (Includes Toowoomba Region, Southern Downs, Western Downs, Lockyer Valley and the South Burnett)

• Domestic overnight expenditure grew 33.8% compared to pre-pandemic levels,
  • The number of people staying for one night or more increased by 11.8% compared with pre-pandemic levels, and
  • The number of nights for accommodation increased by 8.9% compared with pre-pandemic figures.