New Uluru flights boost to Red Centre tourism

BUDGET airline Jetstar set to launch its first direct services between Melbourne and Uluru, the NT News can reveal.

BUDGET airline Jetstar set to launch its first direct services between Melbourne and Uluru, the NT News can reveal.

The move will see Jetstar become the only scheduled carrier to offer non-stop flights between the two destinations.

The carrier will begin four weekly return flights from 28 June 28, as well as up the ­Sydney-Uluru route to a daily service. The extra services equate to 4000 seats a week to Uluru — more than doubling the present capacity.

The announcement comes just over a week after it was ­revealed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit Uluru in April.

The growing popularity of the Sydney-Uluru leg contributed to introducing a similar service from Melbourne.

Jetstar chief executive David Hall said Uluru was one of Australia’s most popular destinations, and that the new services would help drive tourism growth to the ­region.

“We’ve seen a lot of international travellers connect to our existing services from Sydney to Uluru and we’d expect to see this pattern continue from Melbourne,’’ he said.

Tourism Minister Matt Conlan said the new services would boost visitor numbers to Central Australia, adding that it would also coincide with activities surrounding the royal visit to Uluru next month.

“This is just the kind of stimulus needed to further boost visitor numbers to Central Australia,” Mr Conlan said.

“This announcement is extremely timely as it coincides with activities around the Royal visit which will attract huge global exposure and further increase interest in visiting the spiritual heart of Australia. It clearly shows that demand is growing for the Uluru region.’’

Jetstar will today release one way fares from Melbourne to Uluru for $99 after 10.30am.