Australia Travel Advice

OnlineAlex

Afternoon all,
My mum was/is hoping to travel to Australia to see her family April 2022 for 3 weeks. She’s keen to book her flights but I suggested getting more advice before booking. 

I’m worried that with everything going on re: Covid she might be forced to quarantine on arrival this missing the majority of her holiday (I’m not sure how they’re getting on with their vaccine drive etc). 

Also, If she was too book and things change with UK/Australian restrictions would she be covered by travel insurance? Do I need to look for something specific when getting her travel insurance? Maybe the airline would offer a date change to the following year. 

Any advice would be great. It’s her first solo adventure since losing my dad in January and I’m undoubtedly being overprotective but I’d rather be over cautious than have an expensive nasty shock. 

Many thanks,
Alex 

Caz3121

worth keeping an eye on this https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/coming-australia
Make sure she books direct with an airline that offers some guarantee (avoid third parties that may advertise cheap fares, many have high fees, poor service and bad reviews)
nobody knows when the Australian borders will reopen and how long the 14 day mandatory hotel quarantine will be in place (although it looks unlikely that she would be able to travel unless they change the rules)

parcival

Some well connected friends in Sydney have told us that leisure travel into Australia is unlikely before mid 2022.

blindman

Caz3121 said:

worth keeping an eye on this https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/coming-australia
Make sure she books direct with an airline that offers some guarantee (avoid third parties that may advertise cheap fares, many have high fees, poor service and bad reviews)
nobody knows when the Australian borders will reopen and how long the 14 day mandatory hotel quarantine will be in place (although it looks unlikely that she would be able to travel unless they change the rules)

Wot he said

However I do not see anything happening for tourism to Australia until late 2022.IMHO

TELLIT01

As of 13th June, under 3% of the Ozzie population had both doses and 20% had one dose.  They are extremely slow in the rollout.  I wouldn't consider booking anything yet.

YBR

Agree with PPs - I wouldn't be hopeful for April 2022.
The Australia Vaccine roll-out is not going well and their borders are likely to remain closed for some time. It's hard for their own nationals to get in at the moment, let alone leisure travel.

koalakoala

They didn't approve the vaccine until some time after other countries.
I wouldn't plan for April 2022

Westin

YBR said:

Agree with PPs - I wouldn't be hopeful for April 2022.
The Australia Vaccine roll-out is not going well and their borders are likely to remain closed for some time. It's hard for their own nationals to get in at the moment, let alone leisure travel.

In fairness I hear the slow take up is two fold. First that the Australian Government donated their early vaccination allocation in a large part to other countries in need. Second that the take up has been slow among Australian citizens some in part to resistance and feeling that Australia has largely been untouched and therefore a feeling of no immediate need to get a jab.  

Ganga

YBR said:

Agree with PPs - I wouldn't be hopeful for April 2022.
The Australia Vaccine roll-out is not going well and their borders are likely to remain closed for some time. It's hard for their own nationals to get in at the moment, let alone leisure travel.

I do believe they have allowed New Zealanders to visit .

parcival

Yes they have a reciprocal arrangement with New Zealand and only New Zealand.  

TELLIT01

Westin said:

YBR said:

Agree with PPs - I wouldn't be hopeful for April 2022.
The Australia Vaccine roll-out is not going well and their borders are likely to remain closed for some time. It's hard for their own nationals to get in at the moment, let alone leisure travel.

In fairness I hear the slow take up is two fold. First that the Australian Government donated their early vaccination allocation in a large part to other countries in need. Second that the take up has been slow among Australian citizens some in part to resistance and feeling that Australia has largely been untouched and therefore a feeling of no immediate need to get a jab.  

That is a totally idiotic way of looking at things.  The reason infections are low is that they have effectively locked the borders.  That can remain forever.  The way to protect to population is to get them inoculated.  Without that protection, as soon as borders reopen it could be mayhem.