China Southern Airlines

Ms O'HANLON (Dunstan) (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Tourism. Can the minister update the house about aviation access to South Australia?

The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Tourism, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (14:39): I thank the member for Dunstan for her interest in the visitor economy. Well, what an exciting day it was when the Premier and the Minister for Trade and myself stood by China Southern to announce that they are coming back to South Australia. They have confirmed that they are resuming their direct flights to Adelaide from the end of this year. This is a massive boost to international tourism and fantastic news for trade, tourism and of course international education.

The return of China Southern Airlines returns another international service to South Australia. On coming to government, we were very focused on reinstating those airlines that were not here post COVID. We know they were keen to come back but there were lots of difficulties, so we are very pleased with this announcement.

China Southern Airlines is one of the three largest airlines in China, with more than 900 aircraft in its domestic and international fleet. Returning from 12 December 2024, China Southern Airlines will fly three times per week and return direct from Guangzhou to Adelaide. This reconnects our industry with what was our second largest international tourism market. The service will operate on a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 series, which will see an extra nearly 800 seats per week.

This relationship between South Australia and China has never been stronger and these direct flights open new opportunities in trade, tourism, international investment and of course our international students. We first welcomed China Southern Airlines to Adelaide in 2016. They were doing three weekly flights at that time, before operations ceased in March 2020 during COVID.

Measuring the success of these flights just using the visitor economic impact is estimated to generate more than $69 million annually and create in excess of 255 full-time equivalent tourism jobs. This is a significant win for South Australia, our economy and our connection to China. China Southern Airlines flights also connect our state to Asia, the Middle East, Africa, as well as Europe and North America, which are important tourism markets.

I thank the team at the South Australian Tourism Commission who take the lead on the aviation connections piece. This has been an area we have been working on for some time and we were really thrilled to stand next to China Southern to announce this, of course.

We have also recognised that Emirates is coming back to Adelaide on 28 October. This increasing connectivity is welcome for our tourism industry but of course our wider community. I attended many mid-autumn festival events, including hosting a reception here in parliament, and it was the talk of those events. People are so thrilled to have that direct connection back again.

We know we have had a developing relationship again with China. It has been really important in regard to our wine industry, and of course other areas. We still have a little bit of work to do. But this is an opportunity to continue those direct aviation routes, and I welcome their return.

The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Before I call on the leader, the member for Flinders is on his second warning; and member for Chaffey, I am pleased to advise that you got two warnings.