Bonza’s Toowoomba launch: Low-cost carrier’s flights open region to international tourists

Toowoomba could become more open to international tourism with the arrival of Australia’s newest low-cost carrier. Here’s why:

The arrival of Australia’s newest low-cost airline to Toowoomba could open the city up further to the international tourism market.

That’s according to the head of Southern Queensland Country Tourism, who is excited to see Bonza touch down on Monday and start not only taking residents to three locations across eastern Australia but bringing them here.

The new carrier will fly out of Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to Melbourne, Townsville and the Whitsundays across eight flights a week in a bid to attract what it believes is a burgeoning domestic tourism market.

Bonza will fly into Toowoomba on Monday.

While there have been questions about its potential success, SQCT CEO Peter Homan said he and his compatriots across Australia were collaborating to deliver packages for overseas visitors.

He said Toowoomba’s connection to the nation’s second-largest city made it possible for the region to access more international visitors.

Southern Queensland Country CEO Peter Homan. Picture: Kevin Farmer

“Not only does that help promote (domestic) tourists, but we can also bring overseas travellers into Melbourne and then fly them to Toowoomba for a few nights,” Mr Homan said.

“It’s a new market we can promote, and then take them up to the Whitsundays.”

Mr Homan said he had started discussions with tourism operators in areas Bonza was servicing to create opportunities for Toowoomba.

“This will include the exchange of material, imagery, running competitions in areas and doing trade events where we’ll take operators up there and do an expo,” he said.

“It will be working with agencies, wholesalers and the media — it’s about making sure the packages are good.”

But Mr Homan said Bonza would only support routes it could continue to fill into the future.

“It gives us an unbelievable opportunity, but it’s got to be a two-way street,” he said.

“Bonza has got to see the business justification, so we’re keen to see (people support it).”