Qantas is branching into inbound tourism by setting up a new Sydney based business, Tour East Australia Ltd. The new company will provide sightseeing tours and accommodation that can be wrapped into packages by travel wholesalers worldwide.

Qantas said Tour East Australia would be a wholly owned subsidiary of its Singapore based joint venture, Holiday Tours and Travel.

Qantas chief executive officer, Geoff Dixon, said Tour East Australia would begin operating on July 1.

“It will also provide a comprehensive travel service for the inbound meetings, incentives, conferences and events market, and offer a meet-and-greet airport transfer service for individual and group travellers,” Mr Dixon said.

“Holiday Tours and Travel has considerable expertise in destination management, including an extensive network of destination management companies under the Tour East brand throughout Asia.

“The Qantas Group aims to further leverage this expertise as well as strengthen its involvement in growing inbound markets with the establishment of this new Australia-based subsidiary,” the Qantas CEO said.

Mr Dixon said Qantas Holidays inbound business had grown more than 60 per cent in the past six months.

Qantas regional general manager for NSW, Simon Bernardi, will head Tour East Australia.
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