Australians Will Enjoy Overseas Holidays In 2021 As The Government Vows To Open Travel Bubbles With Key Countries

International travel is looking likely to return in the first half of next year, with COVID-safe Asian countries looking to be top of the list, a top minister has revealed.

Trade and Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham has flagged the potential to reopen the country’s borders to the Asia Pacific region within months.

Countries including Singapore, Japan and Fiji could be among the first to start welcoming back Australian travellers. 

Mr Birmingham said any decisions will come down to accessibility and coronavirus case numbers.

‘Proximity matters’, Mr Birmingham told the Australian Financial Review on Saturday.

‘It’s easier to envisage how international travel will work [next year] – where access from Australia is direct – into a country with a very low infection rate,’ he said.  

New Zealand was Australia’s most visited country in the year ending June 2019. and Kiwis can already travel to Australia without quarantining. 

But Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she wants to see Australia reach 28 days without community of transmission of COVID-19 before removing quarantine requirements.  

Meanwhile, Singapore has already opened its borders to Australians, even lifting a ban on Victorians from November 6.

Travellers no longer have to undergo quarantine if they pass a negative coronavirus test. 

The move is part of a bid to revitalise the country’s once-bustling aviation hub Changi airport.   

‘All these are important moves to ready ourselves, so that when the world is ready to travel again, Changi Airport will thrive and Singapore Airlines will soar again,’  the nation’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said. 

Mr Birmingham confirmed he has been in talks with the country’s trade officials to negotiate an agreement. 

‘I’ve had another conversation recently with my Singaporean counterpart. Singapore nationals have a very low incidence of COVID at present. If there are demonstrably safe pathways [for travel between the nations], then that will be considered in time,’ he said. 

apanese authorities are also preparing to open their borders in April ahead of the rescheduled 2021 Olympic Games.

Government officials reopened to Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan and six other countries in November for people with travel exemptions.  

While another close neighbour and Australian tourism hotspot potentially ready to reopen is Fiji.

Officials are developing a coronavirus safety plan for when trade officials negotiate an arrangement, reported Travel Weekly.

Tourism Fiji CEO Matt Stoeckel told the Travel DAZE 2020 conference this week the timeline for borders reopening is still uncertain.

‘The truth is we don’t know when borders will reopen,’ he said.

‘It is, of course, a policy decision – a policy decision between Australia and Fiji’s government – but I’ll tell you this: Fiji would love to see Australian visitors back in the country, and I’m sure all Australians would love an opportunity to travel over to Fiji.’

The island paradise is Australia’s tenth most popular destination, with around 345,000 travellers between 2018-19. 

India has also revealed it is planning to reopen its airports to international travel around March or April.

Authorities originally planned to bring international services back at the end of October but postponed the decision due to another surge in case numbers.

Meanwhile Thailand has actually introduced a new three month tourist visa despite the political unrest on the ground.

Travellers will need to go through a 14 day quarantine on arrival and show proof they have a 90 day accommodation booking and COVID-19 medical insurance.

(Source: DailyMail)