Australia has been “ridiculed” around the world for its strict COVID-19 border closures and rules and could fail to regain its share of global tourism dollars, Tourism Aust chief warns
Australia has been “a little bit ridiculed” around the world for its strict COVID-19 border closures and rules and could fail to regain its share of global tourism dollars even when the border reopens in a fortnight, the head of Tourism Australia has warned.
“It’s the whole ‘fortress Australia’ concept. People just don’t understand why they’re shut out, why they can’t reconnect with family and friends, why they can’t come here to study. As the rest of the world opens up I think there is even less understanding of that right now,” she told this masthead. The federal government began reopening the border in November with the return of international students and migrants. Tourists may enter from February 21 as long as they are double vaccinated.as proof this rule would be strictly enforced. “Events earlier in the year should have sent a very clear message to everyone around the world that that is the requirement to enter into Australia,” he said on Monday.
“Even those [destinations] that in 2018 were crying about over-tourism - guess what, they’ve realised how important tourism is, and they are going after the global wallet,” she said.As the main gateway to Australia it was imperative for Sydney to lead the reopening, Ms Harrison said, but the NSW capital sometimes suffered from complacency while Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide were gaining market share as ports of entry.
“There’s no doubt that that is tricky,” she said. “What we focus on is our people-to-people links, and that’s all we can do. Even if the Chinese market halved, it’s still one of our top three markets.” Other panellists at the Sydney Summit event were concerned the “fortress Australia” mindset had changed the country’s identity. Former race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane, now a professor at Sydney University, said reopening was as much a mental shift as a policy one.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tourism chief fires warning as international border reopening date unveiledAustralia has been “a little bit ridiculed” around the world for its strict COVID-19 border closures and rules, and could fail to regain its share of global tourism dollars even when the border reopens, the head of Tourism Australia has warned tourism
Read more »
Vaccinated tourists welcomed back as international border to reopen in two weeksAlmost two years after the government closed Australia to the world, the international border is set to reopen to those who are fully vaccinated.
Read more »
Australia's borders to reopen to double-vaccinated international travellers on February 21Australia&x27;s borders will reopen to vaccinated international visitors on February 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.
Read more »
Australian airports and airlines welcome the announcement that Australia's borders will reopen to vaccinated international visitors on February 21In less than two weeks, Australia will welcome back international tourists after being shut off to the world for more than 700 days. Gabrielle_Boyle 9News DETAILS:
Read more »
COVID Australia LIVE UPDATES: Tourism will pick up ‘very quickly’ when borders reopenWatch live: NSW press conference and QLD COVID-19 update; Victoria expands RAT system to daycare and kindergarten; The government will spend $7m to $8m immediately in key markets to attract tourists; federal parliament returns today; NSW and Victoria record 38 COVID-19 deaths. Follow updates here.
Read more »
Australia’s border to reopen for international visitors
Read more »