Passenger numbers through the Queenstown Airport continued to grow throughout July, Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson said.

Figures released today by the Queenstown Airport Corporation showed commercial airline statistics saw a 19% increase in international passengers and 10% increase in domestic passengers compared to the same time last year.

"We are continuing to enjoy the same pattern of growth we achieved in previous months," he said.

Load factors were also up to 88%, for international flights (ten percentage points increase) and up to 79% for domestic (six percentage points increase).

Total passengers through the airport in July were 68,199 compared to 61,453 for the same time last year.

"It's fantastic to see the July growth and the continuation of a healthy increase from the 2006-07 year," Mr Sanderson said.

ENDS

For further information please contact Steve Sanderson 03 450 9031.

By: Tamah