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Australia opens its doors to Singaporean tourists, students, workers

The Australia-Singapore travel bubblebecomes a two-way affair from the end of this month.

By David Flynn, November 1 2021

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Australia will welcome visitors from Singapore as of SundayNovember 21 as the countries upgrade their 'vaccinated travel lane' agreementinto a two-way stream.

While any fully-vaccinated Australian will be able to fly toSingapore and back without quarantine from November 8, Prime Minister ScottMorrison overnight announced that all Singaporeans would soon enjoy the sameprivilege.

Speaking at the G20 summit in Rome, Morrison said thatfinalising the two-way VTL with Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong meanthe country was "slinging its doors open."

"This means within weeks Australia will be welcomingtourists from two of our top 10 travel destinations," he said, withinbound travel from New Zealand now also possible.

"Step by step, everything that we know and love aboutAustralia is inching back to normal."

Although Morrison previously spoke of prioritising internationalstudents and workers over tourists, Singapore's Lee has been pushing forunrestricted movement of travellers between the two counties.

The two-way bubble

Singapore's other VTL arrangements with the UK, the USA, Canada,Germany and a handful of other European countries were established along thesame fully bilateral lines.

This means that Singaporean tourists, students and workers canall head to Australian states which are open to quarantine-free internationalarrivals – currently limited to New South Wales and Victoria – provided theyare fully-vaccinated and can present a negative result for a Covid-19 PCR testtaken within 72 hours of the departure of their flight to Sydney or Melbourne.

Morrison’s announcement was welcomed by Singapore Airlines, withRegional Vice President Louis Arul saying "this timely announcement willlet loved ones in both countries reunite during the holiday season and providetravellers with many more holiday options."

"It will also support Australia’s economic recovery withthe return of international students from Singapore as well as other importanteconomic visa holders."

The week commencing November 22 will also see Qantas restartflights from Sydney and Melbourne to Singapore, along with a reopening of itsSingapore First Lounge.

Morrison also met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Rometo advance discussions on similar quarantine-free travel between Australia andBali, which is expected to begin in December.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald