Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker hints at new airlines, routes to come
Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker has hinted at ‘big announcements’ set to ‘fill in the map’ around the region at our Future Cairns event.
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Cairns Airport CEO Richard Barker hinted at “big announcements” set to “fill in the map” at the Future Cairns Gateway to the Pacific event on Friday.
Mr Barker was joined on the panel by NORSTA maritime general manager Colin Ford and education and community adviser Joann Pyne, a former chief academic officer at TAFE Queensland.
Mr Barker said his team expected the airport to comfortably double in size as a business by 2040.
“When you look at the growth of domestic and international and pound that out it doubles the size of the business,” he said.
“That's sensible growth at 3.5 to 4 per cent a year.”
Mr Barker said that growing connectivity to the Pacific would help strengthen the city’s bond to the region and increase visitors.
“There is a direct correlation between connectivity and the number of traveller and amount of export travelling between countries,” he said.
“These could be tourists, visiting friend and family, students, or migrants.”
Mr Barker said part of their strategy was to anchor a number of high quality airline partners that can open up new markets.
“We can reach cities that we otherwise couldn’t reach in the past with new aircraft opening up options,” he said,
Mr Barker also hinted at future announcements regarding Hong Kong and the Pacific Islands.
“There is an obvious gap in the map in Hong Kong and we are confident about an announcement,” he said.
“Last year we met with a number of high commissioners from near Asian countries and what they are really after is food so there is a lot of potential and opportunity there.
“We have good options emerging in the Pacific growing our economic cultural and sporting links with our pacific communities.”
Mr Barker added: “When you head west there is another big part of geography we are working on … we have a number of announcements that basically just help fill the map.”
The buzzword on everyone’s lips was “partnership”.
Mr Ford from NORSTA said when he looked around he saw massive potential in the room.
“I see all the business leaders and innovators right in front of me,” he said.
“The opportunities we see in front of us are generational we are talking 20, 30, 40 years.”
Mr Ford said that it would be challenging for the major players in the region to capitalise on opportunity on our own.
“When I talk about thinking bigger look around you and see who you can partner with.
“You don't have to grow on your own you can grow through partnerships and by thinking outside of the box.”
Mr Ford said without thinking outside of the box and finding partnerships NORSTA would not be where it is today as a major player in the defence and maritime industry nationally.
Ms Pyne added education programs with our Pacific Island neighbours would help grow our economy and workforce potential and strengthening ties with the region.
“We have the largest PNG population outside of the country here and ties with the international marine college bring people here for training,” she said.
“We really are quite embedded in the Pacific and that can only grow as we go into the future.
“The closer the links are and the more partnerships we have with people the more opportunity that provides.”
The 2024 Future Cairns event sold-out, was the third of its kind in Far North Queensland and is run by the Cairns Post.
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