Dubbed a “fortress” for having imposed one of the world’s strictest travel restrictions in the pandemic, Australia will reopen its international borders to vaccinated tourists this Monday (21).
“The wait is over,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a news conference on Sunday. “Pack your bags,” he launched to potential visitors, adding, “Don’t forget to bring cash, because you’ll find plenty of places to spend it.”
The country has closed its borders to almost everyone except its citizens and resident foreigners since March 2020 in an attempt to stop the rise in the number of Covid-19 infections.
The travel ban also affected its citizens, who could only travel abroad with a justification.
The first flight to Sydney airport will arrive from Los Angeles on Monday at 6:00 am (local time, 4:00 pm on Sunday ET), followed by others from Tokyo, Vancouver and Singapore.
56 international flights are expected to arrive in the country in the 24 hours post-reopening, volume well below pre-pandemic levels, although Morrison said he “has no doubt” that number will rise soon.
Australia’s opening up to tourists is the clearest example so far of the government’s shift from a strict “Covid zero” approach to living with the virus and minimizing serious cases and deaths from the vaccine.
Most of the country’s 2.7 million coronavirus infections have occurred since the omicron variant emerged in late November. But because Australia has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world — more than 94% of people aged 16 and over receive two doses — there have been just under 5,000 deaths, a fraction of the rates seen in several other developed countries.
As of Sunday, the country has reported more than 16,600 cases and at least 33 deaths.
According to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, each month of these restrictions cost businesses around A$3.6 billion, with tourism particularly hard hit.
The government hopes to boost a sector that was experiencing pre-pandemic growth – real tourism gross domestic product grew by 3.4% in 2018-2019, compared to overall GDP growth of 1.9%.
Australia has been gradually reopening since November, first allowing Australians in and out and then admitting international students and some workers. Starting Monday, leisure travelers and more business travelers can join.
Fully vaccinated tourists will not need to be quarantined, but those who have not taken the double dose will need to obtain a travel permit to enter the country and will be subject to state and territorial isolation requirements.
