Bob Parker- Asia | Canterbury Opinion | Local Voices from Canterbury, New Zealand

This week I am heading to Asia as part of an aeronautical business-focussed delegation from Christchurch Airport to meet with the heads of airlines considering flying to the South Island.

For Christchurch International Airport the delegation is a critical part of its long-term strategy to develop additional long-haul routes directly into Christchurch. From a city perspective this delegation, which is about economic development and securing our future, has always had my full support.

Some have questioned my decision to go at a time when we have a Government observer, Kerry Marshall, the former Mayor of Nelson, assisting the city council address its governance/management issues and helping ensure it is functioning well so as to support earthquake recovery.

Given recent events at the city council, of course I considered whether I should continue to take part in the delegation which is headed by the CEO of Christchurch International Airport, Jim Boult, and includes representatives of Christchurch & Canterbury Tourism and the Canterbury Development Corporation. However, I am confident that being part of this delegation, which I said `yes' to six months ago, is the right thing to do for our city.

In 2010 I was part of a delegation to Malaysia to attract the world's fastest growing low-cost carrier Air Asia X to bring long-haul flights direct from Kuala Lumpur to Christchurch. Based in Malaysia Air Asia X has with its parent company Air Asia, a network of 130 routes covering 75 destinations. The deal has the potential to bring up to 70,000 more visitors a year to Christchurch and an estimated $70 to $80 million more to the region with the creation of hundreds of new jobs.

It's that sort of business development that is behind this delegation. We need tourists to keep coming here. The potential for tourism from China, a country I have visited several times, is exciting and, to date, largely untapped. it's important we secure our share of the expected growth.

And why is it important that I go? CIAL invited me to join the delegation some time ago and an itinerary has been worked on which would be difficult to change. Past experience has shown that having city officials part of the delegation is vital. That is the way Asian markets do business. Mayors were involved in similar delegations from both Auckland and Wellington airports.

I am only involved in the Asian leg of the trip with the airport team to be joined for the final part of the trip by newly appointed Airport Ambassador Sir Richard Hadlee. I will spend several days in Singapore from 14 to 16 February to thank the Government and people of Singapore for their prompt assistance to Christchurch following the February 2011 earthquake, and to provide an update for business leaders in Singapore on the rebuilding programme and new investment opportunities.

During the visit I will meet government representatives, business leaders, investors, and tourism operators and will visit a school to thank the pupils who raised funds for the Christchurch Appeal. I will also be guest speaker at a meeting of the NZ Chamber of Commerce in Singapore and attend a remembrance ceremony at the Kranji War Cemetery on the 70th anniversary of the fall of Singapore in 1942.
 

I will be back in Christchurch in time for the memorial services planned to remember the victims of the February 22 earthquake. While I am away I will be filing reports on http://www.facebook. com/people/Bob-Parker/100003554493489