When Can We Take An Overseas Holiday Again?

Borders are closed. Airlines are grounded. Australia has a global level 4 travel ban for the first time ever. We’re stuck - indefinitely - and like most of the COVID-19 restrictions that have been imposed, we can expect to be in unofficial lockdown for at least six months.

However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Aussies may be allowed to travel to NZ and the Pacific from July 1, and other countries deemed “safe” from September, according to a timetable produced by the Tourism Restart Taskforce.

This week it submitted a plan to the ACT government and industry groups for a “proof of concept flight” between Canberra and Wellington departing on July 1.

“We are saying that New Zealand travel will commence on July 1 and from 10 September we will consider whether other bubbles can commence,” John Hart the Chair of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Tourism said.

Before you start planning to say Kia Ora, know that the timetable is “aspirational” and the final decision will rest with the NZ and Australian governments. 

According to the plans, Pacific nations will also be included in the proposed NZ bubble and passengers will not need to go into mandatory 14-day quarantine. 

For Now, Holiday At Home

We are blessed with one of the most beautiful countries in the world, so things could be worse than having to take a trip in our own backyard. Plus it helps support our local communities and bolster our own economy. We’re all in this together right?

If you’re dreaming of flying into Denpasar or taking the kids to Disneyland you’ll be waiting a while. While Australia's Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham conceded that it’s ‘impossible to tell at present precisely when travel restrictions will be removed’, he warned that international travel could be off the itinerary until next year, and possibly beyond.

For now, some state and international travel bans remain in place and enforced with heavy fines, and any changes to the laws are dependent on health advice.

We've made great progress flattening the curve but nobody knows if or when the virus will be under control, so the message is clear - overseas holidays are still a dream!

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