What's New in Australia: Reopening and Beyond

Australia began welcoming its first tourists back to the Land Down Under on February 21, 2022, after two years of lockdowns and closed borders due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Travelers wanting to enter the country can do so from any country provided they are fully vaccinated and provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test taken within 24 hours prior to departure.

International bookings to Australia increased 93 percent after the country announced its reopening date according to Travelport data. Travelers are also more likely to stay in Australia for longer, with an average of 32 days in comparison to the pre-pandemic average of 22 days.

So what's new in Australia? After two years, there are bound to be new developments, attractions and more to welcome travelers back.

In preparation for the new wave of international travelers, Tourism Australia launched a massive $40 million campaign earlier in February to help grow the desire to travel to the country. Its theme: "Don't Go Small. Go Australia."

Qantas, Australia's national airline, is also in the middle of restarting or adding six new international routes connecting places like Sydney to Dallas, Texas and Brisbane to Singapore, anticipating a strong comeback in air travel to the country.

While air travel and land tourism are picking back up in Australia, travelers wanting to explore the continent via cruise ship will have to wait at least until after April 17 of this year. The country recently extended its ban on cruise ships from February 17 to two months later due to pandemic concerns.