Broome International Airport terminal opened

8/4/94

Premier Richard Court today welcomed the opening of the Broome International Airport terminal as a giant stride forward for tourism in the Kimberley.

The Premier said Broome now stood on the brink of an exciting new era of tourism development.

Mr Court said the high standard facilities at the airport terminal would help Broome achieve its goal of offering an internationally competitive industry.

"Broome has unique natural attractions which make it a highly desirable destination for tourists," Mr Court said.

"Yet without a quality airport, a destination like Broome could never hope to sustain a long-term increase in visitors.

"What Broome now has is an airport and ancillary services capable of servicing regular international airline services, including aircraft up to Boeing 767 size.

"This new airport will provide the incentive for international airlines to develop Broome services."

Mr Court said the State Government's vision for tourism in the region included:

·       A scheduled international airline service operating into Broome, preferably twice a week;

·       daily flights from eastern state capitals through Alice Springs to Broome the whole year round;

·       light aircraft services to give tourists access to remote attractions in the Kimberley.

The Premier said the State Government was developing strategies to make this vision a reality within the next two to three years. Already services into Broome were being boosted.

The Premier announced that Ansett, which operates two direct services from the east coast per week, was to add an additional service to Broome in the June to October period.

The new Sunday service, starting on June 25, would mean a 50 per cent increase in capacity to the Broome market from the east coast.

Mr Court said the flight would operate from Melbourne via Alice Springs.  Passengers from Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide and Brisbane would be able to connect at Alice Springs.

"Ansett has promoted Broome heavily in the eastern states since the late 1980s and has progressively built up the number of direct services," the Premier said.

"This latest direct service will be a significant boost for tourism in Broome."

Mr Court said the most pleasing aspect of the new airport development was that it had been driven entirely by Western Australian private enterprise.

"The airport owners, Airport Engineering Services, and the operators, Wallace Emery and Associates, have shown the old fashioned pioneering spirit of the far north," the Minister said.

"They are to be congratulated for their vision and courage in carrying out the terminal development and runway extensions that have resulted in this first class, international standard facility.

"Their commitment is typical of the private sector investment needed if tourism is to continue to prosper in the Kimberley."