Western Australia has reopened its borders for international tourism, bringing an end to one of the world’s longest closures in the world.
Four months after Sydney resumed international flights, WA finally followed suit.
Local governments argued the travel ban would protect citizens from the spread of the coronavirus. Opponents, on the other hand, criticized it for separating families within the same country.
“Western Australians lived lives that would have been unimaginable anywhere else in the world, free from fear of Covid-19, especially the elderly and the immunocompromised,” said the state’s premier, Mark McGowan.
McGowan admitted that being cut off from the rest of the world has come at a hefty cost, revealing that his parents live in New South Wales.
“I understand what it means to be disconnected from family, I know how hard it can be,” McGowan wrote. “And for that, I’m so thankful to those Western Australians for their sacrifice to help keep our whole state safe.”
The border reopening will allow both interstate and overseas travelers back in WA provided that a number of vaccination and testing requirements are met.
Visitors engaging in interstate travel into WA should,
- Obtain a registered G2G Pass
- Be fully vaccinated with a booster shot, if eligible
- Submit a rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival and report any positive result.
International travelers visiting WA should,
- Meet Commonwealth Government requirements to enter Australia
- Be double vaccinated
- Have a registered G2G Pass
- Present a negative rapid antigen test within 12 hours of arrival and report to authorities in case of a positive result.
Returning Australians who have not been vaccinated will be subjected to a strict hotel quarantine.
Authorities anticipate an average of 8,000 daily arrivals during the first days of the state’s re-opening.
Perth’s airport alone received more than 22 domestic flights and five international flights on Thursday with the first two flights coming from Sydney and Singapore.
The majority of travelers were Australian nationals who were finally permitted to see their families and friends.
“Australia is now finally back together,” Qantas Airways chief executive Alan Joyce said. “This day has been a long time coming.”