Hunter's Travel Revolution Takes Off
The Hunter region's travel industry is celebrating a major victory with the confirmation that Jetstar will add a fourth weekly flight to Bali from Newcastle Airport at Williamtown, coupled with a groundbreaking same-plane service continuing on to Singapore. Announced for March next year, this expansion comes just weeks after the inaugural international flights to Denpasar proved a resounding success, signalling a massive vote of confidence in the region's global potential.
Skip the Sydney Chaos: A Direct Link to the World
For Novocastrians, the new connection solves a significant pain point: the dreaded drive down the M1 to Sydney. Brett Dann, Managing Director of Hunter Travel Group, highlighted the relief this brings to local travellers. "The M1 always adds a bit of anxiety," Mr Dann told the Newcastle Herald, referencing last year's road debacle. "Newcastle to Bali is only six and a half hours... then you have a 90-minute connection and it's only three hours to Singapore." This new routing allows travellers to completely bypass the Sydney chaos, with many previously adding an extra day to their trips just to mitigate the stress of the motorway.
The logistics are simple: travellers depart from Port Stephens, touch down in Denpasar for a brief 90-minute stopover, and then re-board the same aircraft for the final leg to Singapore. This clever connection opens up access to more than 150 destinations serviced from the Singapore hub.
Economic Windfall for the Hunter Region
Business and tourism leaders are amped about the opportunities this creates, both for residents heading abroad and for international visitors discovering the Hunter. Bob Hawes, head of Business Hunter, noted the huge potential to attract travellers from Singapore, who are known as avid explorers. "We know the regions struggle to get international travellers out of Sydney," Mr Hawes said. "There's a huge opportunity for Newcastle and the Hunter to show its wares to travellers coming from Singapore via Bali."
The additional Jetstar flight is forecast to provide 24,000 more seats bound abroad each year. Newcastle tour operator Kiera Burke pointed out that this also creates an attractive new itinerary for international visitors. Sophisticated travellers who have already seen Sydney's sights can now explore the Hunter's unique cultural experiences and exit directly from Port Stephens, without the hassle of doubling back to Sydney for their flight home.
Newcastle Airport CEO, Linc Horton, called the swift lock-in of additional services a clear sign of faith in the region. Jetstar's Head of Network, Ted Knight, confirmed this, stating the connection "positions Newcastle as a growing international hub." With the Hunter's travel sector now firmly on the global map, industry eyes are looking to the South Pacific, with Fiji tipped as a potential next destination for the burgeoning international airport.
