Australian borders to reopen to vaccinated tourists
The international border between Australia and the rest of the world will reopen to fully vaccinated people today—two years after the government closed borders to the rest of the world.
Speaking on the reopening, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “the condition is you must be double vaccinated to come to Australia, that’s the rule. Everyone is expected to abide by it.” With a nod to the current Novak Djokovic saga, Mr. Morrison made it clear that even if people had the necessary visa to enter Australia, they would be denied entry if they were not fully vaccinated—or had an exemption.
Tourism organizations will be relieved to hear the news, as they have been pleading for progress on the border closure, which has impacted certain operations. In Australia, the tourist industry employs approximately 660,000 people. The announcement, according to Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, means that Australia is “finally back open for business.”
Unvaccinated visitors will still need to request for a travel exemption to visit Australia and will be subjected to hotel quarantine if they are allowed in.
Wake up smarter with an assessment of the stories that will make headlines in the next 24 hours. Download The Daily Brief.
