International tourists will be able to travel to Australia this month only. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has finally announced that they would reopen borders for foreign tourists from February 21. After a gap of almost two years, Australia will reopen borders for only double vaccinated foreign travellers. However, Western Australia remains closed to the rest of the country, after delaying its domestic border reopening.
Lifting restrictions on international visitors would boost the country’s hospitality sector, which has been ravaged by Covid-related lockdowns and border controls. Before the pandemic, the tourism industry generated over A$120 billion ($84.9 billion) in annual revenue and employed about 5% of the workforce, according to Tourism Australia.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country stopped the entry of any foreign tourists. Later the country has been going through a staggering reopening in recent months, allowing in only its citizens and residents, skilled migrants, international students, and certain seasonal workers.
“The condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia. That’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said. States will continue to be able to set their own quarantine rules, Morrison added. Australia, which has nearly 95% of the eligible population aged 16 and over, is double-vaccinated against the coronavirus and nearly nine million people with more than two doses.
The decision to allow vaccinated international arrivals comes as Covid infections, hospitalisations, and intensive care admissions trend down in most parts of the country.
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