Uluru is set for a tourism boost with Virgin Australia announcing two new direct services from Melbourne and Brisbane to be introduced in 2024.
Virgin Australia has announced its return to Uluru with two new nonstop services from Brisbane and Melbourne, allowing the carrier to connect the capital cities with the iconic Red Centre destination for the first time. The flights will start from Melbourne on June 6, 2024, and from Brisbane on June 7, 2024.
Launched in partnership with the Northern Territory Government and Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia (operators of Ayers Rock Resort), the new services will inject more than 62,000 seats per year to the Red Centre.
The new services will also support the growth of the Indigenous Tourism sector, contributing to the Northern Territory’s more than $3 billion visitor expenditure.
Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said Uluru is somewhere everyone should visit for its cultural significance and natural beauty.
“We are proud to be offering direct flights to Uluru from Melbourne and Brisbane for the first time. The forecast demand from these cities, coupled with excellent connectivity from our international airline partners, will provide a much-needed tourism boost to the region,” she said.
The announcement sees the return of Virgin Australia services to the Red Centre after Sydney - Uluru was cut during the pandemic.
“We look forward to once again connecting Australians and international tourists alike to the spiritual heartland of Australia,” said Ms Hrdlicka.
It’s never been easier to tick the Red Centre off your bucket list with flights operating between Brisbane and Uluru three times per week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Services between Melbourne and Uluru will operate up to four times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was announced as one of the Top 52 Places to Travel in the World this year by The New York Times and is home to a raft of internationally-recognised tourism experiences including the Field of Light installation and the new Wintjiri Wiru cultural storytelling experience.
Explore Australia's Red Centre
Featured image: Source, Tourism NT
