Tasmania continues to draw in visitors from near and far with air travel to the state increasing six per cent in 2018-19, a report has revealed.
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The Access 2020 Progress Report released on Tuesday showed the state welcomed 260,166 new seats and 152,450 additional passengers last financial year.
Seat capacity into Launceston grew by more than 54,000 seats or 3.3 per cent, attracting nearly 27,000 more passengers, and seats into Hobart grew by 205,603 or 6.4 per cent.
Regional Qantas flights into Devonport remained stable with 2688 flights drawing 146,608 passengers and Rex services between Burnie and Melbourne saw a passenger increase compared to the previous period.
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Premier and Tourism Minister Will Hodgman said the air growth almost doubled the state's goal of an additional 140,000 seats per year.
"When you consider the national growth rate has been just 0.01 per cent it shows how strongly the Tasmanian aviation sector is performing," Mr Hodgman said.
The Spirit of Tasmania accounted for 11 per cent of visitors with a record 169 sailing days recorded compared to the previous high of 156 days in 2017-18.
The report said the state has also seen an increase in cruise visitors with 134 cruise ship visit days recorded last financial year and $48 million injected into the state's economy.
Hobart received 62 port calls, Burnie 25, Port Arthur 17, and Beauty Point and Coles Bay saw one visit each.
Hobart welcomed the Dutch cruise ship Noordam on Tuesday with the state's first turnaround service to start on this vessel in February.
This service will allow passengers to embark and disembark in Hobart for the first time.
"This allows visitors to spend more time exploring our state and for Tasmanians it means being able to commence their cruise without flying to a mainland port," Mr Hodgman said.