Cairns Airport has updated their numbers for March which are pretty much as expected with further declines still to come:

Cairns Domestic: -39.2%; International -59.9%; Total -42.5%. Comparison with Sydney Airport: Domestic – 43.4%; International -47.9%; Total -45.1%. Sydney has a much higher International proportion.

This is a period when it will be difficult to make sense of most data although many will try. Is it too early to look at the shape of recovery? I previously looked at a comparison last November between previous GFC period even before Covid19: Cairns Airport data still soft

Current success in Australia and New Zealand still come with a seasonal asterisk as initial wintery weather sweeps the southern states. However upside potential can’t be discounted should domestic travel reopen or any arrangement with New Zealand:

Particularly relevant for tourism regions with NZ #2 only a few thousand behind China for short term visitor arrivals in 2019 and limited alternative destinations.

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