Qantas will add six flights and 1,600 seats to Tasmania to meet demand for the returning Dark Mofo festival, Hobart Airport CEO Norris Carter has announced.
The winter festival has already sold 40,000 tickets, with about 70 percent purchased by interstate visitors, signaling strong tourism recovery after the event’s absence last year.
“Tasmania is the hottest place to be in winter with the return of Dark Mofo, and we’re very excited today to announce that Qantas is going to be adding six flights and 1,600 seats to cater for that demand,” Carter said.
The additional flights will primarily connect Hobart with Melbourne and Sydney during the June festival period.
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania CEO Amy Hills welcomed the additional capacity.
“Our visitors need confidence that they can get to our island back and forth when they need, on the times that they need as well,” she said.
Hills said the activity of major events is vital during winter months.
“We went through a winter last year without the [Dark Mofo] festival, and that really showed us the importance of all these types of events.”
Dark Mofo Artistic Director Chris Twite said he is excited about the festival’s comeback after a one-year hiatus.
“We’ve seen the announcement of the on-sale of Dark Mofo, and the results from audiences are fantastic. So many people are coming to Hobart this mid-winter,” he said.
Twite said the festival is on track to match or exceed 2023 attendance figures, with ticket sales already indicating strong interest.
“Dark Mofo is a stepping stone for all those visitors. It’s the thing that they come into and jump off and go and explore the rest of the state.”
“We’re thrilled to be able to have some more regional events this year to allow them to have another stepping stone to exploring more of Tasmania.”
Dark Mofo has secured a three-year funding deal with the Tasmanian Government, ensuring its future through at least 2027.
