Mining slowdown leaves Brisbane Airport's domestic traffic flat The easing of the resources boom led to slower passenger growth at Brisbane Airport than its larger capital city rivals, Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport, last year. Brisbane Airport reported 1.4 per cent passenger growth in 2013, led by a 4.8 per cent rise in international traffic but only a 0.6 per cent rise in domestic traffic. Brisbane Airport Corporation chief executive Julieanne Alroe said the slower domestic growth was reflective of a challenging year for business and tourism. "The 5 per cent [domestic] growth rate in 2012 can mainly be attributed to the resources boom which has eased this year," she said. Additionally, with overseas travel option ex-Brisbane increasing, the domestic figures suggest many chose to travel internationally. The 1.4 per cent overall growth rate at Brisbane Airport to 21.8 million passengers compared with a 4 per cent rise to 30.6 million passengers at Melbourne Airport and a 2.6 per cent rise to 37.9 million passengers at Sydney Airport. All three airports reported stronger growth rates for international passengers than for domestic passengers. But international passengers comprise a smaller portion of traffic at all of the airports. Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport both said December 21 was the busiest day on record for traffic at their respective international terminals, while Brisbane Airport reported a record-breaking day on December 22. Brisbane Airport said a 5.3 per cent increase in international seating capacity was one of the primary reasons for strong traffic growth, with the trend set to continue this year with Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines and Jetstar due to offer additional seats on international services. Visitor markets including China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Indonesia experienced double-digit growth in travel to Brisbane Airport in 2013. Ms Alroe said there were signs the domestic market was beginning to recover, with airlines putting on additional services and increasing capacity and weekly flight frequency. Tigerair Australia last month unveiled plans to open a new base at Brisbane in March, its third after Melbourne and Sydney. CIMB analyst Michael Newbold expects Sydney Airport will report a 4 per cent rise in traffic during the current financial year. He has trimmed his domestic growth expectations to 2.5 per cent from 3 per cent reflecting subdued domestic conditions but raised his international forecast to keep the overall expectations steady. "With strong growth also expected from recent commercial initiatives, we believe 2014 will be another good year [for Sydney Airport]," he said. Chinese passenger growth at the airport fell 1.6 per cent in November - the first fall since January 2013 - due to changes in laws regulating cheap group holidays. But Mr Newbold said a rebound to 8 per cent growth in Chinese passengers in December was an encouraging sign. "With Chinese New Year falling on 31 January this year, we expect this growth to continue into the start of 2014 as family and friends get together for New Year celebrations," he said.