In This Issue:
Flood Relief for Queensland

Hands On - Flood Relief for Queensland

Flight Centre Limited to contribute more than $2 million as flood fundraising initiative takes off.

Significant flooding occurred in many areas of Queensland during late December 2010 and early January 2011, with three quarters of the state declared a disaster zone. In response to the disaster, Flight Centre Limited pledged more than $2million to Queensland's flood relief efforts after launching its largest ever fundraising initiative.

FLT managing director Graham Turner said the company would donate $10 from every international and domestic airfare or holiday package its leisure travel shops sold in Australia between now and the end of February 2011. Mr. Turner said FLT would guarantee a minimum $2million to the Premier's Relief Appeal and would not cap its contribution, meaning more money could potentially be raised for those affected by the floods.

Flight Centre's shops, people and customers have been directly affected by the tragic recent events in Brisbane, Toowoomba, Ipswich, Rockhampton, Bundaberg and some of the surrounding areas.

"Given that our retail travel businesses can issue in the order of 50,000 tickets per week in Australia, our total contribution should be closer to $500,000 per week or $3million in total." Said Mr. Turner.

In addition to the $10 per ticket donation, FLT will match money donated by its staff throughout Australia and the other countries it has businesses in, including Canada. FLT's staff members have already raised significant funds via the Flight Centre Foundation and a series of intra-company events.

About 70 of FLT's retail and corporate travel outlets were directly affected by power outages and closed at various times last week, while the company's global head office in Brisbane's Queen Street was partially closed for a day.

The company believes that while Queensland's overall tourism sector was negatively affected in the short-term, recovery continues to be rapid given that the major tourist centres - the Gold and Sunshine coasts, tropical North Queensland and the Whitsundays - continue to operate normally.

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