Government in talks to secure direct flights from Hobart to Asia
Direct flights from Hobart to Asia look to be closer than ever, with talks underway with two airlines. Here’s where you could soon go without a connecting flight.
Tasmania
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Talks are underway with international carriers for direct flights from Hobart into Asian destinations including Hong Kong and Singapore as soon as the middle of next year.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Hobart International Airport CEO Norris Carter said early indications were promising from negotiations with Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines.
They said that once runway upgrades were complete in June next year, the opportunity to add additional overseas destinations had the potential to drive $122m in additional tourism spending in the state and support up to 1200 new jobs.
Mr Rockliff said he was excited to see the progress being made to open up potential new direct routes to Asia.
“This is exciting, because what it does is again drive visitation and international tourist visitors coming to Tasmania last year generated over half a billion dollars in our economy.
“When you bring in visitors to Tasmania, they spend money,” he said.
“They’re supporting our restaurants, local pubs and clubs, our accommodation, our hotels, and that dollar is circulated across our community, employing many, many thousands of people.
“In fact, one in eight Tasmanians are supported through the tourism, hospitality sector, which is why we do need to continue driving investment, driving visitation and opening up new routes to come to Tasmania.”
Hobart International Airport CEO Norris Carter said tens of millions of dollars worth of investment in the airport would benefit not just Hobart but the entire state.
“We’re very excited about the international opportunity,” he said.
“We’ve seen the return of Air New Zealand recently, they’ve had strong load factors and that flight is going well.
“And of course, we were with the Premier in Hong Kong recently for his discussions with Cathay Pacific.
“Those discussions will take a while, but they’re very positive to start with. We’re very excited by the opportunity that presents.”
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief Amy Hills said international direct flights would be a big boost for operators statewide.
“We know with international visitors is they’re more likely to come into our state and maybe grab a car and head out explore our regions, and that’s exactly what we’re wanting from our visitors, to go out into our regions spend more in those economies, and spend that little bit more time in Tasmania.
“We still are predominantly a domestic aviation destination — and no doubt that will continue — but looking for strategic opportunities is definitely a way to help future proof our visitor economy.”
Improved airlinks for passengers would also increase capacity for time-sensitive Tasmanian exports, such as diary, seafood and fresh produce.
Mr Rockliff said his recent trade mission to Asia delivered important relationship-building outcomes for Tasmanian businesses while strengthening the state’s China trade ties.
“This mission has underscored the importance of a strong trade and investment link with China and Hong Kong which are both key markets for Tasmania,” he said.
“Importantly, China was the largest importer of Tasmanian goods in the year to September 2024, accounting for around $1.39bn or 31.1 per cent of Tasmania’s total nominal value of overseas exports.
“It’s clear Tasmania has what the world wants and its fantastic that, through trade and investment opportunities, we’re able to provide targeted support for Tasmanian businesses to break into new markets.
“There is a wealth of opportunities for Tasmanian businesses in this market and it’s important we continue looking at ways to further strengthen these ties.”
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Originally published as Government in talks to secure direct flights from Hobart to Asia
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