Australian tourism minister has revealed that international travel between Australia and New Zealand could resume as early as September.
Governments from the two countries have been discussing plans for a “travel bubble” that would open up trans-Tasman travel without mandatory quarantine, providing a much-needed boost for tourism operators.
Simon Birmingham, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, said on Friday that travel between the countries could restart in September despite a spike in Covid-19 cases in Victoria.
“That’s a realistic time frame, however, it clearly is subject to uncertainties like the situation in Victoria and ultimately it requires the agreement of the New Zealand government as well,” Simon told Nine Entertainment newspapers.
“I’m confident that things will be ready on our end by then. It does, obviously, from their end, depend on seeing us succeed in getting Victoria back under control and delivering them complete confidence in all of our systems,” he added.
It is the first time that the Australian government has flagged a timeline for the bubble.
Birmingham said that Australia would be ready to open the travel corridor as soon as New Zealand was.
