(TAN): Australia is unlikely to reopen its international borders this year, Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has warned, reports said.
“It’s sadly very unlikely that our health crisis is likely to facilitate an opening to international travel this year,” he was quoted by Australian Financial Review as saying.
According to reports, Tourism Minister Birmingham did not confirm that borders would reopen in 2021, but emphasised that in terms of tourism-related travel in or out of Australia, “that remains quite some distance off”.
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“Just because of the practicalities of the volumes that are involved and the need for us to first and foremost keep putting health first,” ABC News quoted him as saying.
Australia’s tourism sector has been battered by restrictions triggered by COVID-19 after the country closed its borders on March 20, reports said. The decision came as a blow to the industry that was hoping for a full and early recovery, as per reports.
“From Tourism Australia’s perspective attracting international travelers will form a critical part of the tourism restart and recovery in Australia, but will likely be further down the track. We just don’t know when international restrictions will start to be lifted, nor how the process of restoring international travel will play out. But we will be ready to go back when the time is right,” Tourism Australia’s Managing Director, Phillipa Harrison, was quoted by Travel & Leisure as saying.
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The country currently has 7,391 cases including 102 deaths, data from Johns Hopkins University showed.
Australia’s Tourism Minister reportedly said one of the reasons for the nation’s success in winning over COVID-19 was the decision to shut the border, and it would remain in place for some time.
While Australian nationals, residents, and immediate family can enter the country and quarantine themselves for two weeks, Aussies are not allowed to leave the country because of an overseas travel ban, as per reports. However, the administration is reportedly working on “travel bubbles” so that Australians can visit other low-risk destinations such as New Zealand.
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According to reports, the country had suspended inter-state travel when the pandemic had reached a serious point. Now that the outbreak seems to be under control, the states are gradually reopening, reports said. earlier this month, Tourism Australia released a new online interactive map to help people navigate through those parts of the country that are now open to travellers.
Aussies seeking to get out of the house can access the map for an overview of the country’s domestic travel scenario. It acts as a handy tool with click-through links to each state and territory for advice including current status of the region’s borders, latest travel information and advice for industry.
As Covid-19 has affected each region differently, it will take a while until the entire country can be opened up. Meanwhile, the federal government will follow a “three-step plan” to lift measures imposed to slow the spread of the pandemic. Australia will reportedly enter stage three, or the final phase of its recovery plan, in July.
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we need to open the domsitic and international borders sooner than later because if we dont our economy will suffer greatly from no tourist dollar which is more inportant to our economy that this virus which i think is becoming a joke.