Qantas offers cut price flights to see whale sharks

Swimming with the whale sharks has just become a lot more affordable with Qantas slashing A$180 off the return trip to Exmouth in the high season. This morning the airline and WA Tourism Minister Paul Papalia will announce the special weekend fares of $338 return which will be available from June 7 to September 30, this year. The seats, which need to be booked 45-days in advance will be on sale for flights from Friday to Monday giving visitors a minimum four-day break in Exmouth. See our special tribute to the 747 This announcement follows the great success of special weekend fares to Broome which were introduced last August. More than 19,000 fares have been sold, contributing to a significant increase in leisure bookings and the average length of stay for visitors in Broome. Qantas says that the weekend fares to Exmouth have been made possible by using a larger 717 aircraft on the route and with support from the West Australian Government. The Boeing 717 can carry an additional 25 passengers compared with the Fokker F100 aircraft currently on the Perth-Exmouth route, which improves economies of scale and will help meet increasing demand from leisure travelers with 100 extra seats each weekend. The special weekend fares are available for booking progressively from today at qantas.com or via Travel Agents. Qantas Domestic chief executive Andrew David said “as the national carrier, we’re proud to promote WA to travelers from around the world and in our own backyard. These fares will encourage more people to book early and explore Exmouth, one of the most idyllic destinations on the west coast. “We’re investing in this trial to stimulate growth in the market, and we’ll be working closely with the West Australian Government and tourism operators to promote these new fares and additional seats to ensure it’s a success. Tourism Minister, Paul Papalia told The West Australian that “Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef are one of Western Australia’s iconic tourism experiences and this Qantas deal will make the region more accessible to thousands of visitors.” “The region is home to two World Heritage-listed areas, the dolphins at Monkey Mia, the ancient stromatolites at Hamelin Pool, one of the world’s only beaches made entirely of shells and, of course, the biggest fringing reef on the planet at Ningaloo, where visitors can swim with whale sharks, humpbacks, turtles and manta rays.”