Ann: Trading Update, page-7

While Singapore's 'testing' requirements may be the most onerous highlighted, there may be others emerge.

Not good for travel agents trying to sell tickets or airlines desirous of more than 75 per cent of total seats occupied. This will discourage some leisure/visiting friends and relatives' travel.

From 'The Age'/'SMH' online: should be in paper tomorrow:

"...The Asian financial hub’s testing requirements are extensive, however. Visitors need a PCR test within 48 hours of departure, and then another when they arrive, and must isolate until the result comes back (usually within 12 hours).

Visitors then need another test on day three of their stay and another on day seven. PCR tests at a private clinic cost around $150 in Australia and Singapore, while getting a last-minute rapid (75-minute) PCR test at Munich Airport costs €139 ($AU220).

Anyone planning an overseas jaunt will have to budget for the potentially significant cost of taking all these tests. For instance, an Australian visiting Singapore for a two-week round trip would need at least seven PCR tests under the current rules: one pre-departure, three in Singapore, another pre-departure for their return journey, and then at least two more on home soil. That would cost at least $1000 – almost as much as a return Sydney-Singapore Qantas fare currently on sale for January.

“At the moment, testing is prohibitively expensive … and it may put off some people,” says Thornton. “The big worry is that travel becomes the privilege of the more well-off again.."