Australia reopens borders, int'l flight bookings skyrocket

Canada is among the top ten countries rushing to book travel to Australia now that the Land Down Under is open to fully vaccinated tourists, according to new GDS booking data from Travelport.

Australia reopened its borders to vaccinated international travellers on Monday (Feb. 21) after nearly two years of strict pandemic-related measures.

On Feb. 7, when Australia announced that it would reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers as of international flight bookings to Australia increased by 93 per cent when compared to the same day the week prior, Travelport says.

In addition: 75 per cent of international inbound bookings are for leisure travel and solo travellers made up 35 per cent of all Australian-bound flight bookings, the largest traveler segment, the company says.

“This may largely be comprised of Australian expats eager to return home, no longer needing to endure a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine,” Travelport notes.

Of all future inbound bookings, February 2022 is the most popular month to travel to Australia, making up 45 per cent of all reservations, and the top three destinations are Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, the company says.

Of the top 10 countries travelling to Australia, the United Kingdom ranks number one while Canada comes in at tenth place.

READ MORE: “Exciting & welcomed news”: Tour operators react to Australia’s reopening plan

Travellers are looking to stay longer as well, the company notes.

The average length of an international trip from Australia has increased to 32 days in 2022, ten days longer than the 22-day average in 2019, Travelport’s data suggests.

Let the rebuild begin

Yesterday, more than 50 international flights reached Australia throughout the day, including 27 touching down in Sydney, as the country’s tourism and hospitality sectors look to rebuild after two years of COVID-related shutdowns.

"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," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told media in the island state of Tasmania yesterday, Reuters reported. 

Tourism is one of Australia's biggest industries, worth more than A$60 billion and employing roughly five per cent of the country's workforce.

To review Australia’s entry requirements, click here.

Last month, Tourism Australia released a new video, Tune into Aus, to remind travellers overseas of the incredible experiences on offer as the destination prepares to safely re-open to international travel. Watch it here!

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