LA LAUNCH Gets Boost'

SEVEN high-profile travel writers and a large group of travel industry representatives are heading for the Cook Islands at the beginning of next month.
They will be guests on board the first of the new Air New Zealand direct flights from Los Angeles, Air New Zealand Manager Cook Islands David Bridge said.
This is due to arrive at Rarotonga International Airport at 6am Friday 6 April.
Bridge said the plane and its passengers will be greeted in “the normal warm Cook Islands way”.
This will include drums and dancers and a welcoming lineup of Air New Zealand executives, including himself, and Cook Islands Tourism Corporation chief executive Chris Wong.
The flying in of the travel writers and travel industry representatives is part of efforts to promote the Rarotonga flights in the United States of America,
BOOKINGS
Bridge said there has been a “pleasing steady increase” in forward bookings over the first five months of operation Los Angeles-Rarotonga. There have been small but significant increases against figures of two to three weeks ago.
He said reports from the USA indicate a positive trend and increasing interest.as the exposure for this service kicks in.
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand also introduces two 313-seat Boeing 777-200 flights a week on its busy Auckland-Rarotonga-Auckland services,
The first of these arrives 25 March.
Bridge said Auckland-Rarotonga bookings are tracking well and in line with expectations and this includes the Boeing 777 twice a week.
Bookings on Boeing 777 flights are “very encouraging including the new business class.”
The Boeing 777 includes Air New Zealand’s new Business Premier class .

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