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Highlights
- From February 21, fully vaccinated international tourists will be welcomed in Australia as borders reopen.
- According to the government body of Tourism Research Australia, the total loss that tourism incurred in the country since the pandemic began is A$101.7 billion.
- As soon as the news of border reopening tapped headlines, aviation stocks of major airlines like Qantas surged.
In the last couple of weeks, a slew of countries has announced plans to either reopen or relax border restrictions- be it Philippines, Bali, New Zealand, or Australia. Australia has had one of the world's strictest border controls throughout the coronavirus pandemic. But now, The Land Down Under will finally reopen its borders from February 21. Unquestionably, this marks the dawn of recovery for the Australian economy.
Specs to look at as Australian borders reopen
Followed by the announcement made by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Australian economy awaits international tourism and new business opportunities to hit the Australian land once again. The borders will be reopened from February 21 onwards.
Australia first embarked on reopening borders via a travel bubble with New Zealand. Later, the country expanded its bubble corridor by joining hands with other nations. Simultaneously, Australia reopened its doors to skilled immigrants and international students in December 2021.
Source: © 2022 Kalkine Media®
However, not all students, immigrants and tourists could enter Australia because of its strict COVID-19 restrictions. Australia has had one of the most stringent COVID-19 rules in the world. However, as the country has almost reached the mark of 80% of its total population being fully vaccinated, the Prime Minister decided that it is the right time to bring normalcy back.
Fully vaccinated international tourists will be welcomed to Australia post reopening of borders. People who are not vaccinated due to health reasons will need to submit required documents, apply for vaccination exemption, and do hotel quarantine post-arrival.
GOOD SECTION: Three green shoots gleaming in the Australian travel industry
As borders reopen, what should one look out for?
Tourism back on track: Tourism accounted for a significant part of the Australian economy. Prior to the pandemic, the tourism industry was growing at a higher rate than the overall GDP of Australia. According to the government body of Tourism Research Australia, the total loss of tourism loss incurred to Australia since the pandemic began is A$101.7 billion. Thus, with the border reopening, Australia’s tourism industry will soon embark on a journey to bring its numbers back on track.
No more complexities for international students: In 2021, from January till October, there were around 600,000 international students in Australia, which is 17% lesser than the corresponding period in 2020. Nonetheless, Australia had been in significant demand by international students even though numbers have been going down because of the pandemic. But now with borders reopening, Australia can again welcome international students.
Source: © 2022 Kalkine Media®
Aviation stocks in the limelight: The aviation industry has suffered adversely because of the pandemic. However, as soon as the news of border reopening tapped the headlines, the aviation stocks for major airlines like Qantas surged immediately. The airlines are now planning their international flights from February 21 onwards.
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Bottom line
With the reopening of the Australian borders, the country is making a substantial step in bringing the old-normal back. Australia’s tourism and the aviation industry severely suffered because of the pandemic; thus, this move was long-awaited. Besides, as the WHO has said that the pandemic is not going away anytime soon, we have to find ways to grow the economy while prioritising public health.
