Qantas has worked with the West Australian Government to launch special weekend fares and add more seats to attract more tourists to Exmouth over the upcoming peak travel season. Qantas is offering 150 special fares from $169 one-way each weekend (from Fridays through to Mondays) for flights between Perth and Exmouth (Learmonth Airport) over the high season from 7 June to 30 September 2019. This is a saving of around $180 for a return trip. These special weekend fares are available where travel is booked at least 45 days in advance.
The special weekend fares will be offered as a trial for the upcoming 2019 peak season, during which Qantas will review the uptake and effectiveness.
This announcement follows the success of special weekend fares to Broome which were introduced last August. More than 19,000 fares have been sold, contributing to a significant increase in leisure bookings and the average length of stay for visitors in Broome.
The new special weekend fares to Exmouth have been made possible by using a larger aircraft on the route, and with support from the West Australian Government.
The Boeing 717 aircraft that will operate on Saturdays and Sundays can carry 25 additional passengers compared with the Fokker F100 aircraft currently on the Perth-Exmouth route, which improves economies of scale and will help meet increasing demand from leisure travellers with 100 extra seats each weekend.
The special weekend fares are available for booking progressively from today at qantas.com or via Travel Agents.
Comments from Qantas Domestic CEO, Andrew David:
“As the national carrier, we’re proud to promote WA to travellers from around the world and in our own backyard. These fares will encourage more people to book early and explore Exmouth, one of the most idyllic destinations on the west coast.
“We’re investing in this trial to stimulate growth in the market, and we’ll be working closely with the West Australian Government and tourism operators to promote these new fares and additional seats to ensure it’s a success.
“Operating a larger aircraft during the peak season means we can bring more visitors to the region, which is a win for tourism and local businesses in Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef.”
Comments from Tourism Minister, Paul Papalia:
“The State Government, through Tourism WA, is pleased to be working with Qantas to offer affordable travel between Perth and Exmouth.
“Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef are one of Western Australia’s iconic tourism experiences and this Qantas deal will make the region more accessible to thousands of visitors.
“The region is home to two World Heritage-listed areas, the dolphins at Monkey Mia, the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, one of the world’s only beaches made entirely of shells and, of course, the biggest fringing reef on the planet at Ningaloo, where visitors can swim with whale sharks, humpbacks, turtles and manta rays.”