Qantas international return, AHICE success, & more…

Qantas has announced the highly anticipated return of non-stop international flights to South Australia, with new flights between Auckland and Adelaide set to take off from October 2025.  

Available to book now, the new route will add more than 30,000 seats between the two capital cities - further connecting our growing international market of New Zealand, which is currently worth $82 million to the State’s visitor economy. The route will operate seasonally from 31 October 2025 to 3 May 2026 four times per week - including Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday - on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

In more good news for Qantas travellers, the airline is also opening the doors to its new Business Lounge in Adelaide. The new lounge celebrates the best of South Australia featuring a live cooking station, inspired by the Adelaide Central Markets and the producers across the state, including Maggie Beer.

The 16th edition of the largest hotel conference across Asia Pacific, the Asia Pacific Hotel Industry Conference (AHICE) took place in Adelaide last week, marking the fifth time it’s been hosted in our State. The three-day event attracted over 1,500 leading hotel industry experts, suppliers, investors, owners and operators.  

It was great to further connect South Australia to hotel industry leaders – who heard from our Premier and Tourism Minister, and show them why our State is a destination worth investing in. We’ve seen recent record-breaking hotel occupancy in Adelaide, showing that the demand for accommodation keeps growing. 

As part of our plan for strengthening regional tourism, the first new Destination Management Zone is being piloted across the Mid North, Yorke Peninsula, Clare Valley, and Southern Flinders Ranges.

The inaugural Board of Directors has been appointed for South Australia's Mid North and Yorke Tourism Zone, bringing a wealth of regional knowledge, collective expertise and local leadership. The Board will support sustainable tourism growth by working with local stakeholders to set priorities and develop action plans for the zone.

Emma Terry

Chief Executive Officer
South Australian Tourism Commission

Read full Industry Update - 15 May 2025