SYDNEY: Australia has today fully reopened its international borders to all travellers who have completed their 2 doses vaccination against the coronavirus, after the borders were closed for 2 years since the pandemic started.
According to Reuters, more than 50 international flights will reach the country through the day, including 27 touching down in Sydney, its largest city, as the tourism and hospitality sectors look to rebuild after getting hammered by Covid-19 restrictions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “it is a very exciting day, one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, from the day that I first shut that border right at the start of the pandemic.”
Tourism industry, which worths more than A$60 billion (RM181 billion) and employing about 5 per cent of the country’s workforce, was crippled after the country shut its borders in March 2020.
“It is a party out here, music playing, smiles on people’s faces, they will be dancing soon, I’m sure,” Tourism Minister Dan Tehan told broadcaster ABC from Sydney airport as he gave travellers gift jars of Vegemite, an iconic Australian food spread, and stuffed koala toys.
