In March of 2020, Australia closed its borders and did not allow tourists to enter the country for almost two full years. On Monday, the final travel restrictions were lifted for fully vaccinated visitors.
That means for the first time, families who were unable to get together since the start of the pandemic are finally being reunited.
Travelers from other parts of the world who arrived at Sydney’s airport were welcomed by cheering well-wishers, toy koalas, and authentic Australian foods.
The first plan load of visitors was on a Qantas flight from Los Angeles and was welcomed by Australia’s Federal Tourism Minister Dan Tehan. “I think there’ll be a very strong rebound in our tourism market. Our wonderful experiences haven’t gone away, ” he said.
On Monday alone, Qantas flights were coming into Australia from eight locations worldwide, including Singapore, London, New Delhi, and Vancouver.
According to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, 1.2 million people had visas that would allow them to enter the country in the first 24 hours. Fifty-six international flights are due to land by Tuesday.
To say Australia had draconian measures in place throughout the pandemic would be an understatement. In order to enter the country, travelers had to apply for an exemption from the travel ban. Tourism was not an acceptable reason.
Australia’s tourism officials are relieved that things can slowly get back to normal, but they say it will take years to get to pre-pandemic levels.
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