More than a year has passed since the COVID-19 outbreak. To revive the tourism economy, countries worldwide have been lifting the city closure and establishing the “travel bubble” pattern one after another.
Under the existing and limited conditions, Australia has started to gradually open up part of the Australian domestic tourism market with the safe travel mode of “Travel Bubble” to the neighbouring countries where the epidemic is less serious. The epidemic prevention measures are more effective, and hope to use Travel Bubble to save the Australian tourism industry and related industries which are hit by the COVID-19 epidemic.
The term “Travel Bubble” may be confusing or unknown to many people. So, today, let’s talk about what the Travel Bubble is. And which countries or territories will the Australian Government be working with shortly to promote the Travel Bubble?
What is the Travel Bubble?
First of all, let’s explain, the so-called “Travel Bubble” is also known as a safe travel circle. It refers to the cooperation agreement between countries with relatively good control of the epidemic to open their doors to each other to restore travel and mutual trust between countries. The two countries that have reached an agreement on the bubble can conduct travel exchanges under less stringent quarantine and isolation restrictions, just like living in a bubble ring and being safely protected.
Where is Next on the List for Travel Bubbles?
The first country in Australia to be granted open access to the ‘travel bubble’ is New Zealand. Australia is currently unilaterally open to New Zealand visitors. The Australian government is negotiating with the New Zealand government. It is expected that this year, the safe travel circle of Australia and New Zealand “Tasman Strait travel trans-Tasman bubble” will be implemented.
Prime Minister Morrison said Australia is also in discussion with several Asian countries, including Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and even parts of China, in the next “travel bubble” plan, which means that tourists from these countries and regions will not need quarantine. Prime Minister Morrison said that although the issue will be discussed at the national cabinet meeting, he will not immediately make a decision. I think we have to be very careful to discuss the feasibility of the above topic,” he said.
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Australia and New Zealand Intend to Activate ‘Travel Bubbles’
The COVID-19 epidemic is still spreading worldwide, and Australia and New Zealand are doing better than other Western countries in terms of epidemic prevention measures. The New Zealand government has recently been studying and developing a “travel bubble” with Australia to enter New Zealand without quarantine. Comprehensive foreign media reports, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson pointed out that Australia and New Zealand are close to coordinating the “travel bubble” conditions. However, some issues still need to be discussed, including how to respond to the outbreak of new epidemics and other issues, but both governments are working hard to solve this problem. Robertson said he was optimistic that Australia and New Zealand would resolve these issues in a short period of time, so the safe travel circle is not far from being achieved.
Queensland Re-allows New Zealand Flights
Queensland has allowed flights from New Zealand to land in the state again since 6 p.m. on March 20. This means that restrictions on entry for New Zealand travellers began to be lifted from the evening of March 20. The ‘green flights’ from New Zealand will be able to re-enter Queensland. At the same time, any New Zealand traveller in quarantine at a Queensland hotel can leave the quarantine hotel starting at 12:01 a.m. on March 21, provided the virus tests are negative. “This is great news and certainly the best scenario for both us and New Zealand. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee AHPPC has discussed the need to respond to further community transmission in New Zealand. We have a responsibility to act with caution. We did the right thing and now we can look to the future,” said Dr Young.
New Zealand-Australia Interoperability
The Federal Chief Medical Officer Safety Officer has determined that persons travelling to and from New Zealand have been assessed as not posing a threat to the country’s entry and spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Travellers must stay in Australia for 14 days before departing for a flight to New Zealand. Travel must be direct to New Zealand.
Australians are one step closer to enjoying a two-way trans-Tasman travel bubble after the legal director of the travel ban was changed to allow residents to travel freely to New Zealand.
Health Minister Greg Hunt Monday amended the emergency biosecurity law so that anyone staying in Australia for at least 14 days can “travel directly to New Zealand.” Previously, Australians leaving the country for any reason were required to apply for a waiver.
At this stage, travellers will still need to be quarantined on arrival in New Zealand unless the New Zealand government decides to expand the bubble – something Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern discussed with her cabinet on Monday.” It’s close,” Ardern said in an interview with local media outlets TVNZ and Three.” No one should expect that at the end of the day, there will be an opening (and) today is not the day you’re going to get that final date and decision.” But we do expect to open the bubble soon.”
Jacinda Ardern said the cabinet would announce the launch date for the Trans-Tasman Bubble on April 6.
When asked why she didn’t just announce the date, she told reporters.” Because we didn’t give you a date, we need to make sure we have a plan. We are confident enough in what we have now to announce the start date on April 6.”
Singapore as the Next Travel Bubble Partner
Australia’s prevention of the COVID-19 outbreak has been successful. It is now rumoured that it is in discussion with Singapore, which also has good results in preventing the outbreak. It is a travel bubble for the two countries into a plan launched as soon as July this year to restart the tourism industry and travel suspended by COVID-19 in 2019.
Australian Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack said in a recent interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “With the launch of the vaccine, not just in Australia, but in other countries as well, we will launch more bubbles. Meaning that in addition to cooperation with Singapore, Australia is also seeking other countries with good vaccination results, hoping to promote the tourism economy. In the future, the people of Australia and Singapore have the opportunity to enter without more quarantine in already vaccinated cases.
Singapore residents who have been vaccinated can enter Australia without the 14-day hotel quarantine; and make Singapore also become a quarantine channel halfway to Australia, in Singapore to complete the quarantine of foreign people, can also be allowed to enter Australia from Singapore. As countries begin to vaccinate, Australia will later launch a travel bubble with more countries. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also issued a response, discussing with Australia the dual-country vaccine certificate, and is expected to implement the plan with business visitors and students first.
Australia also seems to be ready for more travel economies, as Qantas tried out CommonPass‘ Vaccine Passport mobile app for the first time on March 12. Passengers must be tested for the New Coronavirus virus and vaccinated 72 hours before boarding. The medical institution will enter the passenger’s test results and related reports into CommonPass, and the airline will use this information to determine whether the passenger is eligible to board.
According to the information, Qantas will resume full international flights in October this year. It is believed that the Australian government should open the country’s borders after all the people have completed the vaccination. At that time, the long-dormant tourism industry can be revived.
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