Tourism Australia has signed a three-year marketing agreement with Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates.

The deal, worth an estimated $6 million, comes as the trade body moves to fill the gap created by the loss of funding from Qantas.

The announcement of the partnership with Etihad comes on top of Virgin Australia announcing it had doubled its marketing partnership with Tourism Australia in a new deal worth $12 million over the next three years.

Tourism Australia managing director Andrew McEvoy said the memorandum of understanding with Etihad would target visitors from the Middle East, United Kingdom and Europe.

In a statement he explained: “In just five years of flying to Australia, Etihad Airways has demonstrated a strong and growing commitment to its Australian operations.

Etihad Airways chief executive James Hogan said Australia was an important market to the Abu Dhabi-headquartered carrier, with 16 per cent of the airline’s seat capacity dedicated to flights into and out of the country.

The deal is the first between Etihad and a national tourism organisation outside of the UAE.