COVID-19

Airfare capacity and pricing continue to remain primary concerns for inbound tourism to Australia, Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell highlighted at the Destination Australia conference in Sydney yesterday [Thursday 16 March 2023].

Expeditions updates and simplifies Covid-Hurtigruten Expeditions has updated, adjusted and simplified its COVID-19 protocols, removing pre-departure testing across all departures and ships (except for Antarctica expedition cruises).19 protocols

Quark Expeditions has introduced what it refers to as “the most flexible and consumer-friendly booking policy in the expedition industry”, The Quark Protection Promise.

Azamara will eliminate its COVID-19 embarkation testing requirement starting 25 July 2022, excluding ports where it is still required in accordance with country regulations.

Tourism Recovery Gains Momentum as Restrictions Ease and Confidence Returns

PONANT will restart its highly anticipated Kimberley 2022 expedition season after Western Australia said it would welcome small interstate and international expedition ships to its waters. WA’s current ruling permits vessels up to a maximum of 350 persons.

More than 10 million people have sailed with cruise lines around the world since the gradual resumption of sailing from June 2020.

Seabourn has established new Health and Safety Guidelines for its 2022 European voyages and is encouraging all guests to take a viral COVID-19 test prior to departing home.

Australians will be able to take a holiday to New Zealand for the upcoming Easter school holidays, as the country fast-tracks the return of tourism.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has wound back its COVID-19 Cruise Travel Health Notice (THN) from Level 3 to Level 2.

Effective today [17 February 2022], Switzerland is removing the majority of requirements to wear face masks or provide COVID certificates in public areas, introduced in May 2021.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has today [Monday 7 February 2022] confirmed that Australia’s border ban on foreign visitors will be removed effective 21 February 2022. The decision comes a month shy of two years since Morrison shut off Australia to the world in order to contain the number of coronavirus cases. That move came into effect on 20 March 2020.