Big events deliver record May at Launceston Airport

Major events including Agfest and Supercars have helped drive a surge in passenger numbers at Launceston Airport with the airport recording its busiest May ever.

For the first time in the airport’s history, it handled more than 100,000 passengers for the month, with a total of 104,916 passengers making their way through the terminal in May, a 5.2 per cent increase on May last year and a 9.4 per cent increase on pre-pandemic levels.

Coinciding with the final day of Supercars, Sunday 11 May was the busiest day across the month with a total of 4474 passengers through the terminal.

Launceston Airport CEO Shane O'Hare said the results underscore the importance of big events in the state.

"These numbers serve as a powerful reminder of the role major events play in driving tourism growth into the region," he said.

"Sitting behind these numbers is strong and sustained demand thanks to major events such as Agfest and Supercars which is driving tourism during our historically quieter months.

“Tourism Tasmania’s hugely successful ‘Off Season’ campaign plays a vital role in drawing people down south through celebrating Northern Tasmania’s vibrant arts and culture scene, and these numbers reflect that success.

“A bustling arrivals hall means more heads on hotel pillows and more feet on our iconic hiking trails which is great news for the local economy.

“We’re not seeing big uplifts in capacity so to deliver these results in the current market is really pleasing.

"To keep pace with demand we are putting the finishing touches on two of our newest food and beverage outlets, with Gatty's Bar and Tassie's own LivEat set to open before the upcoming school holiday period.

For further information contact: Launceston Airport Media on (03) 9335 3666