Options for cancelled Australian holiday

Traveljunky

Our flights to Australia were cancelled quite early by Qatar airlines (5th May) and we have received our full refund. We had booked separately the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, which we paid in full, and we paid a deposit for a hotel.
The bridge climb company have been in contact to state they gave a limited reopening and if the are open on the date we have booked it can go ahead. The only alternative they offer if it’s not going ahead or you can’t attend is a voucher valid for 3 years.
We haven’t heard anything from the hotel.
Since our flights have been cancelled we aren’t going.
My questions are:
- do we have to accept the bridge climb voucher or can we claim on our credit card or travel insurance.
- we will lose our deposit if we cancel the hotel booking so can we claim for that too on our credit card or insurance.

Thanks

epm-84

What you can claim from your travel insurer will depend on the exact policy you have and exactly what date you have booked for.  Since 4th July the FCO has allowed non-essential travel to Australia which means the chance of an insurer paying out for a departure date on or after 4th July is lower than a date between mid-March and 4th July.

Traveljunky

the insurance is with Nationwide Building Society and was renewed prior to booking anything for 2020

Traveljunky

And the holiday was supposed to start at the end of September 

Nick212010

It’s one thing booking flights and travelling to Australia, it’s completely another thing being allowed into the country by Australian immigration. Currently only Australian citizens, diplomats, medical personnel assisting with the pandemic, and people allowed in on compassionate grounds with a special visa. Anyone turning up with an ordinary tourist visa will be turned away by the authorities. Basically, as things stand, you can’t get into the country. Please take this into account before rearranging anything or accepting time limited vouchers.