Much like listening to play by play sports on the radio, it feels like everything in travel is changing by the minute. Restrictions which were true yesterday may not be true today. Even things true this morning may not be, by lunch! There are ways to keep up.
One of the recent big movers? Australia. As the country continues reopening travel to international visitors, the good news around easy movement continues to roll in. From April 18th, Australia has dropped Covid-19 testing for vaccinated visitors.
There are a few things you’ll need to know before you go and the experience isn’t quite as simple as travel before the pandemic, but its getting there.
No More Testing To Visit Australia
Testing before travel, for all the good it may do, means that no one knows if they’re actually going on vacation or a work trip until the days before they fly. The uncertainty and stress has kept travel suppressed.
And as countries look to grow their economies and reboot international business, anything suppressed isn’t very helpful and officials are changing tact accordingly. As of the 18th of April, Australia has removed all Covid-19 testing before and after travel for all fully vaccinated visitors.
Australia no longer requires post arrival testing, and the dropping of the pre-departure test is a significant milestone in the travel experience. Passengers can effectively trust that their trip will go forward, once booked. No more fingers crossed on test day.
There Are Still Some Forms and Hurdles
Despite testing being dropped for fully vaccinated visitors to Australia, there are still a few lingering hurdles in place. Who doesn’t love admin, right? All visitors, regardless of Covid-19 vaccination status must still fill out a digital passenger locator form.
The form involves travel history for the 14 days prior to arrival, an attestation that the visitor will follow and understands local rules in place and confirms contact details for any necessary contact tracing throughout the journey.
Visitors must also provide proof of an accepted vaccination course and have a valid visa, if visa waivers don’t apply. Most visitors, including Americans, require an ETA visa before departure. Fortunately, these can be applied for online in a matter of minutes.
Travel To Australia Is Getting Easier
With travel testing requirements removed and extra processes down to just proof of vaccination and a passenger form, travel to Australia is the easiest its been in many years.
Qantas and other airlines are quickly ramping up flights from more and more gateway cities, which means getting there should be easier too. If you’re missing, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane or any of the other incredible cities or territories this truly stunning country has to offer, it might be time to get back.
Today is a great day as I woke up to the news that Thailand has just dropped all testing for vaccinated travellers, making my trip there in two weeks time so much easier.Now I read this about Australia where I’m heading later in the year.It is great to see the world opening up again and allowing people to travel freely.
“for all fully vaccinated travelers” question is ..who is vaccinated? answer : nobody … the experimental spike protein gene therapy shot is not a vaccine, does not prevent covid, nor does it prevent the spread , everyone who has compromised their immune system forever by getting these shots is still getting covid, so any result of the shot is only negative, yet they have the “privilege” of traveling to a communist like , freedom hating country like Australia, well Halleluja!