Qantas and American Airlines to deliver more tourists to Tassie

QANTAS and American Airlines have struck a deal to bring more international visitors to the island state, which a senior airline executive said remains an untapped destination in the global market.

Qantas aircraft at Sydney International Airport. Picture: AAP

QANTAS and American Airlines have struck a deal to bring more international visitors to the island state, which a senior airline executive said remains an untapped destination in the global market.

The agreement, announced today, will give Tasmania broader promotion, including to the Dallas-based airline’s 100 million frequent flyers.

American Airlines spokesman Kurt Stache says the alliance will boost business by making it easier to travel from major international ports to Hobart.

“We think that it’s really an incredible market that we can grow ... (Australia) is for many Americans the number one aspirational destination on their list of places to go,” he told reporters in Hobart.

Premier Will Hodgman, who is also Tourism Minister, said the code-sharing deal opened up a huge new market.

“What this means for travellers booking a flight through American Airlines is they can now select Hobart as a final destination and purchase just one ticket,” he said in a statement.

“This not only makes it more seamless for travellers to get to our island, it also increases the prominence of Tasmania as a destination in our number one international tourism market.

“This will build on the increasing market in the USA, which grew by 26 per cent to more than 30,000 in the year to March, and Canada, which grew by 11 per cent to more than 7500.”

The Premier also announced Tourism Tasmania and Qantas had renewed a Memorandum of Understanding for another three years to collaborate in promoting the island state.

Originally published as Qantas and American Airlines to deliver more tourists to Tassie