Townsville Airport has welcomed a new direct route with Bonza’s inaugural service from its new Gold Coast Airport base landing in the region this morning.

The route will operate five times a week and marks the beginning of Bonza’s operations from its new Gold Coast Airport base.

Queensland Airports Limited CEO Amelia Evans joined Bonza CEO Tim Jordan on board a packed inaugural flight departing Gold Coast Airport this morning.

“This is a particularly exciting day for us at QAL – the commencement of Bonza’s services will provide more seamless connections for both our customers and our teams, with two of the fourteen routes linking our airports in Townsville and Mount Isa directly to the Gold Coast,” Ms Evans said.

“This is the first of 14 routes that will operate out of Gold Coast Airport providing passengers with more options to connect easily with friends and families across the country,” she said.

“As an airport operator, creating valuable connections for the communities in which we operate is a critical part of our vision, and it’s a game changer to now have Bonza opening up new routes for air travel to more people across these regions.”

“Today is a golden day for domestic tourism as we start connecting more communities in time for Christmas,” Bonza CEO Tim Jordan said.

“Bonza focuses on underserved and unserved markets and our Gold Coast base is further proof of that commitment. Our team of legends feel privileged to bring families and friends together in time for end of year celebrations at affordable prices,” Mr Jordan said.

Member for Townsville Scott Stewart welcomed the direct connection to the Gold Coast.

“Giving more travellers more opportunities to touch down in Townsville means more visitors exploring North Queensland’s awe-inspiring tourism experiences,” Mr Stewart said.

“We’ve seen visitors staying longer in Townsville and spending up more than 28 per cent compared to the same time last year and these direct flights will help grow that number even further.”

Acting Mayor Mark Molachino said the flights would benefit both tourists and residents in Townsville and the region.

“A direct route to the Gold Coast opens up our region to more visitors, making it easier for them to experience all Townsville has to offer without needing to make the extra trip from Cairns or Brisbane,” Cr Molachino said.

“More people are starting to view Townsville as a tourism destination and it’s great to see airlines like Bonza have the confidence to invest in our region and add the additional services.

“The direct flights will also be welcomed by locals wanting to go to the Gold Coast for a holiday.

“The extra flights to and from the Gold Coast are a great opportunity to attract tourists to our city and to boost our economy.”

Townsville Enterprise Director Visitor Economy and Marketing Lisa Woolfe, said the new connection would extend Townsville North Queensland’s holiday and business travel offer to another part of Queensland, which is a growing source market for the destination.

“Since COVID Townsville has welcomed additional aviation capacity into the region, and this new route is yet another example of the growth our region is experiencing,” Mrs Woolfe said.

“There is a strong alignment with the Bonza and destination brand, and we are excited to build on this relationship with new routes from South East Queensland.”

“For Gold Coasters, we offer something unique – where they can escape the hustle and bustle, and experience something new or familiar, but with a twist. The connection is also a great way to build on our international visitation, especially those travellers looking to have a best of both worlds holiday itinerary.”

“To celebrate the launch, we’re excited to welcome over 50 travel media and influencers from the Gold Coast region, for a Chef-hatted lunch, followed by a Magnetic Island cruise and snorkel experience – while we only have them on the ground for a short time, we’re pleased to share some of best North Queensland has to offer.”