Sydney travel agent Donna Meads-Barlow has spent the past year refunding more than $13 million to customers who cancelled travel plans and is not looking forward to doing it again if a coronavirus outbreak shuts down the new trans-Tasman travel bubble.

The 40-year veteran of the travel industry said she would take advantage of the new travel arrangement between Australia and New Zealand when it begins on April 19, provided it was applied sensibly to future COVID-19 outbreaks.