Hawaiian Airlines and Australian Tourist Commission launch joint Marketing Campaign

Hawaiian Airlines has joined forces with the Australian Tourist Commission to promote Australia in four "new" US west coast markets - Seattle, Portland, Sacramento and San Diego.

With the start of Hawaiian's new Honolulu - Sydney flights - four times weekly from 19 May - the four west coast cities will have convenient one-stop services to Australia, avoiding the need to fly via the crowded airports of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A combined press, direct mail and e-mail campaign has commenced in each of the cities to promote visits to Australia using the new Hawaiian Airlines services.

A range of competitively-priced holiday packages has been developed, and in a related promotion, Hawaiian is also targeting its own frequent fliers and members of its Visa Card affinity programme to attract even more Americans to Australia.

"Americans love Australia - but from anywhere outside Los Angeles and San Francisco, flying down under can be quite an expedition," said Hawaiian Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Mr Mark Dunkerley.

"Through this new campaign, the ATC is highlighting the attractions of Australian holidays to the people of Seattle, Portland, Sacramento and San Diego," said Mr Dunkerley.

"We are supporting the ATC by highlighting the convenience of our new one-stop flights from each of these cities, departing in the morning, changing flights in Honolulu at 1.00pm, and arriving in Sydney early the following evening."

Mr Dunkerley said Hawaiian was committed to building US tourist numbers to Australia, and was delighted to be working with the ATC to develop Seattle, Portland, Sacramento and San Diego as new source markets for tourists.

The airline's morning flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Honolulu also will connect with the new Sydney flights.

The Managing Director of the Australian Tourist Commission, Mr, Ken Boundy, said the new campaign with Hawaiian Airlines would increase significantly the awareness of Australia throughout the US West Coast - from Seattle in the far north to San Diego in the far south, plus four major centres in between.

"The USA continues to be an important source market for visitors to Australia, and the introduction of new services by Hawaiian Airlines will increase awareness of and access to our country," said Mr Boundy.

"Close to half a million Americans are expected to visit Australia this year and Hawaiian's flights to Sydney will provide even more options for travellers looking to take an Australian vacation."

Hawaiian Airlines flight HA21 will depart Honolulu every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 1:00 p.m. and arrive in Sydney the following day at 7:35 p.m.

Most passengers from the US mainland are scheduled to spend no more than two hours connection time in Honolulu before continuing to Australia.

Hawaiian will fly to Sydney with Boeing 767-300ER wide-body aircraft. The twin-aisle, twin-jet B767s seat 252 passengers - 18 in Business Class and 234 in Economy Class, featuring the comfort and convenience of a 2-3-2 seating configuration that offers either window or aisle seating to 86 percent of the passengers.