Sydney Airport profit soars to $283m

Sydney Airport is expecting investment in hotels and car parking, along with new international carriers, to continue to drive revenue growth.

International airport in Sydney.

Tourists at the international airport in Sydney. Source: AAP

Sydney Airport is looking to cars, hotels - and the sky - to continue propelling growth in 2016 after its full year profit soared more than fourfold to $283 million.

The result for 2015 was largely driven by a three per cent jump in passenger numbers, particularly those travelling to and from overseas.

Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather described the result as fantastic as she outlined plans to investment in car parking and hotels to continue to drive growth.

More than 1,000 new car spaces will be built in 2016 to meet passenger demand.

Parking and ground transport revenue climbed 7.6 per cent to $151 million in 2015, driven by the growth of online parking bookings which accounted for a third of that income.

Ms Mather said there is demand for more than 2,000 hotel rooms at Sydney Airport, with 500 currently on site.

Construction on a new 136-room hotel to be owned by Sydney Airport and managed by Mantra is set to begin in April and the company is canvassing four potential sites for a limited service hotel.

Also in the pipeline, is a 430-room, four-to-five-star hotel with conference facilities, which had a major development plan approved last year.

As for the sparkling 2015 result, a 4.3 per cent jump in international visitor numbers was key.

Asian markets showed strong growth, with Chinese visitor numbers up by 18 per cent, while those from India rose 17 per cent and travellers from the Philippines were 36 per cent higher.

Revenue growth for 2016 is expected to be aided by the addition of the seven additional international airlines which were announced in 2015, including Chinese carriers Xiamen and Hainan.

Ms Mather said the company had benefited from Sydney increasingly becoming a destination for international students and in turn friends and relatives who visit them.

"With these passengers in particular, we benefit from recurring travel," she said.

Meanwhile, the company will continue to work with the federal government on Sydney's second airport.

Sydney Airport has first right of refusal on the project.

Ms Mather said the uncertainty surrounding any greenfields investment made it more risky, but the project had exciting growth potential.

Shares in Sydney Airport closed 17 cents higher $6.59.

SYDNEY AIRPORT FLYING HIGH

* Net profit up 378.8pct to $283m

* Revenue up 5.6pct to $1.229b

* Unfranked final distribution up 1.00 cent to 13 cents per security


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Source: AAP



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