Qantas Code Share Deal with China Eastern Airlines

A code-sharing deal between Qantas and China Eastern Airlines will make it easier for Chinese tourists to visit Tasmania, the State Government has said.

Under the new arrangement, China Eastern will put its airline code on Qantas services from Melbourne and Sydney to Hobart, and on Melbourne-to-Launceston flights.

The deal means Chinese travellers will be able to get all the way from China to Hobart on one ticket.

"This not only makes it more seamless for Chinese travellers to get to our island, it also increases the prominence of Tasmania as a destination in our number one international tourism market," Premier and Tourism Minister Will Hodgman said.

"This change has huge potential to build on the record number of Chinese tourists visiting Tasmania, which has increased by 38 percent in the past year."

In September, Qantas announced it would ramp up flights into Hobart from Melbourne and Sydney by 30 percent in 2016.

From March, there will be 46 return flights from the two cities, up from 35.

Visitor numbers to the state hit a record for the last financial year of 1.15 million visitors from overseas and interstate.

Visitor spending for the same period reached the AU$2 billion mark.

The State Government has set itself a goal of reaching 1.5 million visitors by 2020.