Cardiff Airport has received its biggest ever boost after landing one of the world's best known and fastest growing airlines, Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways is investing in a new, frequent long-haul direct service from the Rhoose-based airport to the Middle Eastern hub of Hamad International Airport in Doha.

The deal was announced by Qatar Airways Group chief executive, HE Mr Akbar Al Baker.

The new service is starting in 2018

It will see hundreds of thousands of new passengers using Cardiff Airport each year, not just from Wales but England too, particularly the south-west.

It will provide a direct route into the world's fastest growing hub airport Hamad International in Doha

Doha has flights with Qatar to 150 destinations.

Wale plc will be boosted by bringing it closer to key global markets, such as India, China, Singapore and Australasia.

It could provide a catalyst for Middle Eastern investment, including from sovereign wealth funds, into new infrastructure projects in Wales, including potentially a new terminal at Cardiff Airport itself.

Passengers from the Middle East could use existing Flybe and Vueling services from Cardiff Airport for connecting flights to other locations in the UK and Europe.

Could strengthen the case for a direct service from Cardiff to North America with passengers from the Middle East changing at Cardiff Airport for a connecting flight.

It means that passengers who want to travel to, say, Australia or the Middle East can go from Cardiff instead of having to travel to London.

Cardiff beat off competition from other airports in the UK to land the route with Qatar Airways, including its closet rival Bristol.

It will be the first scheduled, direct service from Wales to any Middle Eastern airport. It will also provide a service well beyond the airport's South Wales' core catchment area, but will also attract passengers from other parts of the UK, in particular the south west of England and the Midlands.

Debra Barber, chief executive at Cardiff Airport said: "I am immensely proud that Qatar Airways has chosen Cardiff Airport to operate its new service to Doha. It is fantastic that we will now be able to offer our customers more choice of travel with a world-class airline providing easy connections to destinations across the world.

"More than 1 million passengers per year from our region are travelling to destinations that are on the Qatar Airways network. Over 90% of these passengers are currently travelling via London and this new service will give them the opportunity to fly more conveniently from Cardiff, their local airport.

"It has been a long journey to get to this stage, with discussions spanning a number of years. Over the coming months we will work with the team at Qatar Airways to confirm the details of the service and look forward to the flights being on sale in the near future."

Roger Lewis, chairman at Cardiff Airport added: "This is a ‘game changing’ announcement for Cardiff Airport and for Wales. The benefits of this relationship will be transformational for both businesses and passengers across the south west of England and for Wales.

"I sincerely thank His Excellency Mr Akbar Al Baker, for the trust he and Qatar Airways are placing in us. He is a truly inspirational leader and I am honoured to have worked with him on this project.

"I am confident that the team at Cardiff Airport will deliver a world-class service with Qatar Airways for all of our passengers both visiting Wales and travelling across the world.

"I look forward to returning to Doha in the near future to further develop this special bi-lateral relationship between Wales, the UK and Qatar.”

First Minister Carwyn Jones said it was great news for the country and will open up Wales' links with the rest of the world and deliver new economic, leisure and travel opportunities for Welsh businesses and the people of Wales.

"I look forward to meeting with the group chief executive of Qatar Airways in Doha on Sunday and I will also be meeting senior officials in Qatar to explore potential investment opportunities for Wales." he added.

Alun Cairns, the Secretary of State for Wales, said: "I am delighted that a globally respected brand looks set to develop a direct route to Wales. I personally met with the chief executive and senior management team from Qatar Airways at a UK/Qatar summit three weeks ago to make the business case for a route to and from Wales.

"This new route will send a positive message‎ about an outward looking Wales developing international trade and tourism links to the rest of the world."