Borders Open For International Arrivals In Australia
After almost two years of closure, Australia’s airports have been filled with emotional moments and jubilation as the country reopens its borders to overseas tourists for the first time in nearly two years.
Travelers may presently access all states except Western Australia, which remains restricted until 3 March, since more than 50 aircraft were scheduled to arrive on Monday (21 February).
Qantas, Australia’s national airline, is scheduled to transport more than 14,000 people to the country this week, and company chief executive Alan Joyce said reservations had been “solid” since the country’s reopening plans were disclosed earlier this month.
“It’s fair to say that we’ve all been looking forward to welcoming tourists back to Australia for a long time.” According to Joyce, “thousands of foreign visitors are expected to arrive this week, with many more expected in the following months, which will help jumpstart the tourism sector, which has been struggling for the previous couple of years.”
People are really eager to return to Australia, as seen by the Australian government’s declaration, and we continue to see high bookings from the United States and Great Britain, as well as South Africa and Canada.
Arriving passengers were welcomed at Sydney International Airport with live entertainment, Australian-themed presents, and a 75-metre-long “Welcome Back World!” statement painted next to one of the airport’s runways.
Dan Tehan, Australia’s minister for commerce, tourism, and investment, as well as Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison, were on hand to greet the delegation upon arrival.
Arriving passengers were welcomed at Sydney International Airport with live entertainment, Australian-themed presents, and a 75-metre-long “Welcome Back World!” statement painted next to one of the airport’s runways.
Dan Tehan, Australia’s minister for commerce, tourism, and investment, as well as Tourism Australia managing director Phillipa Harrison, were on hand to greet the delegation upon arrival.
Passengers were greeted with a red carpet and given the opportunity to meet representatives from Aboriginal culture and education organizations, as well as Matt Wright, a Netflix TV host and well-known local tourist personality.
Harrison was speaking on behalf of Tourism Australia, which just launched its Come and Say G’day – Don’t Go Small campaign. Prior to the reopening of the border, the Go Australia campaign in the United Kingdom expressed delight at the return of foreign tourists, who she described as “a key component of the economy.”
“We know that Australia continues to be a highly sought-after tourist destination for foreign tourists, and we can’t wait to share all of the memorable tourism experiences that Australia has to offer with them once again,” she added.
Despite the fact that the tourism sector has faced significant challenges over the last two years, and although recovery will take time, operators are eager to greet and welcome back overseas visitors.