Virgin Blue has announced it will further its commitment to regional Australia by maintaining its weekly Adelaide-Broome service all year round, after steady support for the existing flight and solid forward bookings.

The airline launched the route 11 weeks ago to cater to the large number of holidaymakers keen to visit the stunning region but who were unable to afford the airfare to get there.

The original schedule has seats on sale for travel until 27 September 2003. From today, Virgin Blue will offer its direct Adelaide-Broome flights for sale into the New Year.

The extension is the result of the large number of Virgin Blue Guests requesting the ability to forward plan a visit to Broome for their Christmas and New Year holidays.

Head of Commercial and Strategy, David Huttner said, “The support from travellers so far has given us the confidence to commit to continuing the flights past September.

He continued, “What we’ve found is that when you offer the right price, people will come all year round. In tropical north Queensland, we have seen a shift to consistently strong year round domestic business due to Virgin Blue’s affordable pricing in what was, until now, the off-season. We see no reason why we can’t do the same to Broome.”

Thousands of travellers have already taken advantage of Virgin Blue’s low fares and award winning service, providing a huge stimulus to the local tourism industry.

With fares starting from $275* one-way on the net, the route is also proving a winner with locals who are taking off to visit friends and family interstate.

David Huttner added, “If the large number of connecting flights booked are anything to go by, both visitors and Broome residents have valued the convenient connections from Adelaide to the East Coast, especially after being isolated by high fares until now.”

Virgin Blue has also identified a number of Broome visitors re-booking for another trip later in the year after they have discovered the delights of the region for the first time.

The support from the local tourism industry and operators, as well as the Broome community, has been instrumental in Virgin Blue’s decision to continue flights.

* All fares include the passenger ticket levy, airport charges and the global security charge and are for flights booked on the Internet. $10 more by phone.

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