Sydney: Australia will reopen its borders to tourists from February 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday, ending some of the restrictions on the most pandemic travel and the longest.
“It’s been almost two years since we made a decision to close the border to Australia,” Morrison said after a meeting of the National Security Cabinet.
He announced the border would reopen all visa holders “on February 21 this year,” added, “If you multiply, we hope to welcome you back to Australia.”
The Australian border slammed in March 2020 in hopes of protecting the island continent to surgering global pandemics.
For most of the time since then, Australians have been banned from going and only a handful of visitors who have been given the exception to enter.
These rules have national profits abroad, dividing families, hammering the multi-billion billion-dollar tourism industry, and encourage bitter debate about Australia’s status as a modern, open and outgoing country.
Every month the closure of the border has a business cost estimated at US $ 2.6 billion, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In recent months, the rules gradually relaxed for Australians, long-term occupants and students.
The latest decision will see almost all the remaining hats raised.
Come after a “covid-zero” policy that has long been standing abroad, the level of vaccination rises and track-and-traces that were once stellar collapsed under the wave of omicron cases.
Only a handful of countries are still closed to tourists – among them Japan, China, New Zealand and several Pacific Island countries.
– ‘Come visit’ –
For the travel and tourism sector Australia – which struggles because the number of visitors fell by almost 98 percent compared to the pre-pandemic level – the news brought excitement.
“We are very happy to be reopened,” said Tony Walker, Managing Director of the Quicksilver Group, who operated a cruise ship, diving, and the resort crossed the Great Barrier Reef.
“The last few years are very difficult for us,” he told AFP, urging overseas people to “come to visit”.
During the company’s pandemic go from 650 employees to the 300 it today.
Walker said he hoped “would take the time to recover” from the last two years.
Many tourism operators throughout Australia are experiencing lack of staff, considering how little backpackers and tourists who work come to Australia.
Despite the announcement, traveling in Australia will still be limited.