Indonesia tipped to resume flights to NZ
This could be the main outcome of Prime Minister John Key's first official visit to Jakarta.
Air travel between New Zealand and Indonesia is set to get easier.
This could be the main outcome of Prime Minister John Key’s first official visit to Jakarta.
One of his first duties is to witness the signing of a co-operation agreement between Garuda Indonesia airline and Auckland Airport – a move that was first mooted back in 2010.
The agreement deals with a previous commitment to promote tourist traffic between the two countries, a Garuda press statement says.
The only planned service to Indonesia is Air New Zealand’s direct flights to Bali starting in mid-2012.
The new agreement with Auckland Airport is likely to contain Garuda’s intention to revive its service.
Last week, the airline announced it had placed a firm order with Airbus for 11 more A330-300 widebody aircraft worth $US2.5 billion.
At present the most direct way to Jakarta or Bali is Garuda via Sydney.
Latest tourist numbers show only 816 Indonesians visited New Zealand in February, or 11,824 over the 12 months – well below, say, Korea’s 52,000, Malaysia’s near 37,000 or Taiwan and Thailand, both with about 18,000.
Yet apart from being Southeast Asia’s most populous country at 237 million, Indonesia is New Zealand’s 10th-largest export market.
Bilateral trade is valued at $1.52 billion, about equally shared between exports and imports, with Indonesia sending goods valued at $704 million and New Zealand exporting more than $800 million.
Nevil Gibson
Mon, 16 Apr 2012
Mon, 16 Apr 2012
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Indonesia tipped to resume flights to NZ
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