BRA further expands at Aarhus
The Swedish airline innovates again with Denmark's only direct link to Visby on Sweden's top holiday island, Gotland
Braathens Regional Airlines puts the Swedish vacation haven, Visby, on the departure board at Aarhus Airport. The new route to the UNESCO city will take off twice-weekly from 3 July and is the only direct flight connection between Denmark and the Swedish island of Gotland.
Richly historic Gotland and the island’s much-loved city of Visby are a highly prized holiday destination that attract visitors not only from Sweden but all over the world, not least thanks to its status on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Visby is often regarded as the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, with its famous 12th century cathedral, numerous ruins, old city walls, historic streets and colourful houses.
"Gotland is to the Swedes what Bornholm is to the Danes. A classic summertime magnet with a cosmopolitan mix of culture, gastronomy, history and nature, lots of summer sun, vacation vibe and a welcoming lifestyle – a uniquely Swedish summer idyll. Visby is an exciting short-break destination for Danes, so it is great news that BRA will open Denmark’s only direct summer route to the island between Aarhus and Visby – a wonderful addition to their year-round Stockholm flights", says David Surley, who is Senior Director Route Development & Marketing at Aarhus Airport.
Gotland island is situated in the Baltic Sea and well known not only for its history, but large forested areas, hiking dunes and white sandy beaches - as the only direct air service from Denmark, where Aarhus is the second largest city and Nordic region's fifth largest metropolitan area, the new route makes Visby accessible to over 2.5 million new prospective mainland Danish visitors.
"We see Aarhus as a very important destination that fits perfectly into our network, and we are very happy to launch a direct summer route from Aarhus to the Swedish holiday pearl of Gotland and the city of Visby. The investment is in line with our long-term strategy to strengthen BRA's position outside Sweden's borders, and it is a pleasure to now connect two of Scandinavia's most popular destinations," says Martin Erkenborn, who is Chief Commercial Officer at BRA.
As home to many Swedish nationals and expatriates, the new flights from Visby will also create new connectivity for Gotlanders to Aarhus, to visit the thriving Danish city where inbound tourism is thriving - as well as friends and relatives who live and work in Aarhus region. BRA’s newest Danish link takes-off from Aarhus on 3 July. There are two weekly departures this summer on Mondays and Fridays, the flight time between Aarhus and Visby is just over an hour, which compares to the journey time by car and ferry at 12 hours or more. BRA will fly the route with its super fuel-efficient and highly climate-friendly regional aircraft, the ATR 72-600, with space for 72 passengers onboard.