Air New Zealand start twice weekly flights

The airport, which has been trying to secure an international carrier for almost a decade, says the move could create between 70 and 130 jobs in the region.In the past two years, a new international arrival and departure lounge has been built and border control offices and gateways have been installed.

A resurfaced and lengthened runway to cope with bigger planes is also nearly finished. Air New Zealand will be flying its A320 aircraft on the trans Tasman route.In 2007 more than 205,000 Australians visited Rotorua, and by the end of 2014 this is forecast to rise by more than 60,000 a year.