Australia’s minister for commerce, tourism, and investments indicated on September 22 that the country is on schedule to reopen its borders by Christmas.
“I do sympathise with the Australians who have been denied the opportunity to travel overseas this year,” Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said during a National Press Club of Australia lecture that was aired online because to coronavirus limitations.
“It’s yet another reason why everyone should get vaccinated,” he continued, “and we must keep to the national strategy that will see our international border open up by Christmas at the latest.”
Tehan outlined some of the chores that must be completed in order for the country to reopen earlier this week.
“It’s critical that we conduct that preliminary work,” he remarked. Passing the national vaccination rate of 80% is one of the actions. Around 38% of Australians had received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine as of September 22.
Because the national vaccination rollout is so important, Australia’s tourist board prepared an unique domestic ad encouraging people to get vaccinated.
“We need to reclaim our way of life so that we can visit friends and relatives, return to work, get our kids back to school, travel domestically and internationally again, and welcome the world back to enjoy all that Australia has to offer,” Phillipa Harrison, managing director of Tourism Australia (the country’s official national tourism board), said in a press statement when the cries began.
Before entering Australia, international travellers will need to confirm that they are properly vaccinated.
Australia also intends to test “vaccine passports” with other countries, including Singapore, Japan, and the United States.
Tehan has been working with the aviation industry as well.
Beginning in October, Qantas, the country’s main carrier, will gradually resume international operations.
In March 2020, Australia closed its borders to non-residents and implemented a mandatory quarantine system, limiting the amount of people who may enter the country each week.
According to the Australian public broadcaster ABC, 38,000 Australians were on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s repatriation waiting list in July. The Australian government also set restrictions on residents’ ability to leave the nation.
New South Wales (which includes Sydney, Australia’s most populous city) and South Australia are testing schemes that will allow vaccinated travelers to quarantine at home.
Australia’s population is estimated to be at 25 million people. There have been 90,369 verified Covid-19 cases and 1,186 deaths out of that total.