It could be next year before international travel restrictions are eased in Australia.
The federal government says it could be the end of the year or even 2021 before borders will open to international travel.
Under strict laws designed to stop the spread of COVID-19, the federal government has banned Australians from flying abroad in all but essential circumstances.
Anyone returning to the country has to enter a mandatory 14-day isolation in a hotel, supervised by the police and Australian Defence Force.
The unique situation means holidaymakers should avoid booking any international travel during the crisis, Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham warned.
“I wouldn’t put any guarantees that you could undertake that overseas trip in December” he told ABC’s News Breakfast on Tuesday.
“This is a time where, unfortunately, people can’t undertake holidays and they won’t be able to go overseas for quite some time to come.”
Birmingham told ABC trips abroad won’t be allowed ‘for quite some time to come’.
“Certainly this time is a good time for a bit of dreaming, a bit of planning, think about that Aussie break that you might take when we do finally get to the other side of this,” he said.
“There may come a time where at least we can relax some of those travel restrictions within Australia and that will give you a chance to be able to get out perhaps to support some of those regions who at the start of the year were dealing with bushfires, or indeed the many other tourism regions who are struggling at present because of the loss of business.”
“It’s impossible to tell at present precisely when travel restrictions will be removed, because that will be a matter dependent upon the health advice at the time,” Birmingham added.
Birmingham didn’t put a timeframe on when international borders could open but ‘wouldn’t put any guarantees that you could undertake an overseas trip in December.’
