- After almost two years, Australia’s international borders are set to open to double-vaccinated tourists before the end of the month
- International borders will open to travellers who have received two vaccinations against COVID-19 on February 21 in light of declining Omicron cases and ICU admissions
- However, state flight caps and quarantine rules will remain in place, meaning Western Australia will keep its hard border despite the rest of the country opening up
- The opened borders are set to provide welcomed relief to businesses struggling with a lack of international workers and to industries directly affected by border and isolation policies
- Today’s news sent travel stocks soaring, with Qantas (QAN) closing trade 4.62 per cent up, Flight Centre (FLT) 7.8 per cent up, and Webjet (WEB) 6.17 per cent up
After almost two years, Australia’s international borders are set to open to double-vaccinated tourists before the end of the month.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday announced in light of declining Omicron cases and COVID-related ICU admissions, it was time to reopen Australia to all remaining visa holders after borders were first shut in March 2020.
“The National Security Committee cabinet has decided today that Australia will reopen our borders to all remaining visa holders on the 21st of February of this year,” Mr Morrison said.
“We have been progressively opening our borders since November last year. Those programs have proceeded very successfully.”
This means the only condition for entry into most of Australia will be to have received at least two vaccinations against COVID-19.
Of course, despite the Federal Government’s announcement, a third of the country will remain closed not only to international travellers but even to other states.
Western Australian Premier Mark was slated to open WA’s hard border to the rest of Australia on February 5 but in January backflipped on his promise in an effort to keep Omicron from running rampant through the state.
As such, Western Australia’s borders will not open with the rest of the country on February 21.
While the WA Premier is still pursuing a zero-COVID strategy, the Prime Minister said given the rest of Australia already has tens of thousands of Omicron cases, international travellers no longer pose a threat.
“The variant is here in Australia,” Mr Morrison said.
“For those who are coming who are double vaccinated, they don’t present any greater risk than those who are already here in Australia.”
A welcome boost for businesses
The opened borders are set to provide welcome relief to businesses struggling with a lack of international workers and to industries directly affected by closed borders such as hospitality and tourism.
The Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) said the border reopening would likely result in a “sigh of relief” for many businesses.
“The Prime Minister’s announced reopening of our international borders for vaccinated travellers will bring a sigh of relief to so many businesses and their employees whose jobs rely on inbound travel,” Ai Group Chief Executive Innes Willox said.
“Benefits from the reopening will flow not just to businesses and employees in the tourism and hospitality sectors but also to those supplying goods and services to those industries.”
He said while Australia’s borders have been closed, many would-be visitors — including students and skilled workers — have simply gone elsewhere, serving as a reminder to Australian businesses that they operate in a very competitive environment.
“The challenge now will be for the federal and state governments to support a major push to encourage all manner of visa holders to again look to Australia as an attractive destination,” Mr Willox said.
Today’s news sent travel stocks soaring, with Qantas (QAN) closing trade 4.62 per cent up, Flight Centre (FLT) 7.8 per cent up, and Webjet (WEB) 6.17 per cent up.
Each of these stocks is still well below its pre-pandemic high.