SYDNEY, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- One of China's leading airlines, China Eastern Airlines, announced Thursday it will begin a daily flight from Shanghai to the Australian city of Brisbane in the state of Queensland.
The new service is expected to see 120,000 additional visitors over the next four years coming to Australia, and Premier of Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk said it will allow even more Chinese tourists to have "access to our best destinations."
"China is Queensland's most valuable and fastest growing international market," Palaszczuk told state parliament on Thursday.
"We know that securing additional international flights to Queensland is the best way to grow tourism."
Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones was excited about the new flights, and said in a statement obtained by Xinhua that this was part of an Australia-wide collaboration between stakeholders to further welcome guests from China.
"It will offer Chinese travellers easier access to many of our iconic destinations known for their world-class beauty, natural environments, unique experiences and world-class events," Jones said.
With nearly 120 million outbound Chinese travellers in 2016, Tian Liuwen, executive vice president of China Eastern Airlines, said that these new flights will be able to further serve these tourists, with more seeking to come to Australia than ever before.
"We also believe that China Eastern Airlines will open up new opportunities for economic and cultural exchange not only between Shanghai and Queensland, but also between China and Australia," Tian said.
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