THE future of plans for a luxury six-star resort on the Atherton Tableland will be on the table when Tourism Minister Desley Boyle meets Emirates Airlines executives tomorrow.

Ms Boyle also has high hopes of Emirates agreeing to more flights into Queensland during meetings which form part of a 10-day mission to the United Arab Emirates, China and Hong Kong.

Ms Boyle, Tourism, Regional Development and Industry director-general Don Morris, Tourism Queensland and other senior department officers will also be seeking updates on plans being considered by a number of Chinese airlines for direct links with the state, particularly Cairns.

The six-star resort proposal was floated last year by an Emirates Airline executive during a visit to Cairns.

The airline is building a resort in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and Ms Boyle told The Weekend Post it was now interested in further discussions on a resort in Queensland.

"Emirates was particularly impressed with the area around Mungalli Falls for a high-end resort which would provide a good contrast to beach resorts," Ms Boyle said.

Tomorrow, the group will meet Emirates Airlines president Tim Clark on a co-operative marketing agreement before an afternoon meeting with the vice president of Emirates Resorts and Projects, Tony Williams, on the potential for a six-star Al Maha resort.

Other meetings have also been scheduled with major UAE company Al Ghassan Investments which is reported to be considering investing in a hotel-resort in Queensland.

Emirates currently flies into Brisbane via Singapore and Ms Boyle said she hoped the airline would commit to increasing schedules.

"I will also be sounding them out about future connections for Cairns," Ms Boyle said.

In addition to Emirates, meetings have also been set down with the newest Middle East carrier, Etihad Airways.

The China/Hong Kong leg of the trip will include further talks with China Southern, China Eastern, Shanghai Airlines and Viva Macau about charter and direct flights into Cairns.

Ms Boyle said two factors working in Cairns’ favour since the previous discussions were a falling Australian dollar and the world financial crisis.

"Because of the world financial crisis there are not as many people taking business trips which means airlines are refocusing on the leisure market,’’ she said.

"Previously the focus on the front end of the plane was a disadvantage for Cairns but this should provide more seats for leisure travellers.’’

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