In the first six months of 2025, Palau has recorded a 113 per cent increase in visitor arrivals compared to the same period in 2024, with Australian travellers playing a major role in the destination’s tourism resurgence.
Known as the ‘Palau Paradise Express’, the service will continue to operate as part of a contract awarded to Qantas by the Federal Government.
First launched in December 2024, it will help maintain strong trade, tourism and people to people links between Australia and Palau.
The route will continue operating weekly, departing from Brisbane on a Saturday, on a Qantas Boeing 737 aircraft, arriving in Koror in six hours.
The renewed service provides Australians with seamless connectivity to a destination suited to travellers seeking a luxurious, adventure-filled and sustainable escape.
Palau is an archipelago with 300 islands fringed by coral reefs, turquoise waters and home to the UNESCO-listed picture-perfect Rock Islands, one of the most environmentally protected destinations in the Pacific.
Picture courtesy Josh Burkinshaw
“It has been incredibly rewarding to see so many Australians discovering this destination for the first time since we launched the route, and the response has been phenomenal,” said Cam Wallace, Qantas CEO International.
““It’s also great to see the significant rise in visitor arrivals to Palau, with Aussie travellers being a driving force behind this remarkable result.
“This strong demand reinforces our commitment to connecting Australians with unique destinations and supporting Palau’s growing tourism industry.”
The resurgence in visitation has also catalysed broader travel trade engagement:
# Six new wholesale partners have contracted Palau product in 2025, driving 20 new bookable itineraries into the Australian market.
# Palau is now featured by major retailers, OTAs and wholesalers including Ignite Travel Group, Luxury Escapes and Entire Travel Group.
# More than 100 Australian travel agents have registered interest in visiting Palau via self-famil offers this year alone, further strengthening the destination’s footprint in the trade sector.
“The continuation of this route is a vital step in supporting our tourism sector’s long-term growth,” said Kadoi Ruluked, Director of Palau Visitors Authority.
“We’re proud to continue our partnership with Qantas to make Palau more accessible to Australian travellers and cement our country as a destination on the rise.”
Main picture courtesy Palau Visitors Authority
