FlyPelican will start a Dubbo to Newcastle service on July 18, which the council says will open up opportunities for both business and leisure travellers.

The council along with its counterpart in Newcastle has been working on promotional packages.

Council corporate development director Ken Rogers said they were waiting with great anticipation for July 18.

The council had the ticketing counter ready and waiting at its Dubbo City Regional Airport, but the infrastructure was not the only preparation it had made.

Social media was being used to promote the service and the council had been working on a promotional package to be launched, Mr Rogers said.

Dubbo residents who travel with FlyPelican will go in the draw to win an accommodation and activity package at Newcastle, he said.

Newcastle residents who fly with the airline will go in the draw to win a similar package at Dubbo, he said.

“So apart from the infrastructure we’re keen to help promote (the new service) because we think it will be tremendous for the people of Dubbo and Newcastle,” Mr Rogers said.

When FlyPelican started in less than three weeks, there would be five regular passenger operators going to six separate ports - Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Cobar, Broken Hill and Newcastle, the director said.

That was up from only two  in early 2015.

“Overall the airport has been performing exceptionally well with passenger numbers reaching a record high again last month,” Mr Rogers said.

“We will have seen in excess of 200,000 passengers in the 12 months to June 30.”

The director reported that historically 70 per cent of the airport’s passengers were corporate and business travellers.

The arrival of FlyPelican would open up opportunities for those passengers, as well as leisure travellers, Mr Rogers said.

It also opened up connections to other ports, he said.