If you’ve been craving a change of scenery but none of the existing Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) locations appeal to you, this will be music to your ears.
Almost two years after Australia closed its borders to non-citizens in order to try and control the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today (7 February) that the country will be reopening all her borders to all vaccinated visa holders.
The borders will reopen on 21 February, so grab your calendars and start planning your next getaway!
Although Australia has been opening up their borders selectively and in a staggered way since late 2021, the government decided to allow travellers who have received two doses of the vaccine to enter the country due to the falling trend in COVID-19 cases, hospitalisation rates and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions across the country.
Before this, Australia only allowed specific groups of people such as skilled workers and international students to enter the country.
COVID-19’s Impact on Australia’s Tourism Sector
Throughout the past two years, Australia’s tourism sector has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Previously, Australian radio network Triple M conducted an interview about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Australia’s tourism sector with Mr John Hart, executive chair of Australian Chamber-Tourism, a peak tourism body in Australia.
Mr Hart revealed the number of businesses that had closed due to the lack of tourists visiting the country: 70,000.
“We really need to welcome them. We need to have them back to our shores, so that our businesses can get back to business,” he added.
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Various Regions Still Remain Closed
Although Australia has opened its international borders, it’s worth taking note that not all places will be open to travellers.
For instance, Western Australia’s borders will still remain closed even to the rest of the country, as they delayed their domestic border reopening.
Additionally, different states will be allowed to set their own rules for quarantine, so do make sure that you’re aware of your quarantine arrangements before you head off to Australia for your next trip!
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Featured Image: f11photo / Shutterstock.com
