More flights boosting Qld tourism

AAP

TOURISM is looking up for Queensland, with more international flights touching down in the state as travellers escape the northern hemisphere winter.

From November this year to March, seat capacity for international flights landing in Queensland stands at 64,800 a week - a two per cent increase on last year's figures, according to Tourism Queensland's international capacity figures.

Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said the Gold Coast was Australia's fastest growing airport and the recent addition of AirAsia X and Jetstar had increased services and launched new routes.

"This has resulted in 18 per cent more international airline seats into the Gold Coast compared to the northern winter 2008 period," Mr Lawlor said.

"An increase in international seat capacity to Queensland airports over the next six months is a positive development for Queensland's tourism industry and is a positive sign of a return to confidence in global travel."

The Cairns Airport has also experienced significant growth in services with the introduction of Jetstar's Airbus A321 on the Singapore-Darwin-Cairns route and new daily services from Tokyo.

Continental Micronesia has also added two weekly flights on the Guam-Cairns route.

Mr Lawlor said international capacity to Brisbane had declined by 1.5 per cent.