Scott Morrison reveals details of Aus-Singapore travel plan

“This is the billion dollar boost that Australia’s tourism industry has been waiting for.” Scott Morrison reveals details of a vaccinated travel lane with Singapore.

Australia’s tourism industry will receive what Scott Morrison says is a billion dollar boost within weeks as fully vaccinated Singaporeans are allowed to fly in without restrictions.

After Australia opened its border to fully vaccinated visitors from New Zealand on Sunday, the Prime Minister will announce that a vaccinated travel lane will also open with Singapore from November 21.

Singaporeans will be allowed to travel to Australia without quarantining, although the arrangement is reliant on state governments being willing to accept non-Australian travellers, with New South Wales and Victoria expected to be the first to give the green light.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison attends the G20 Official Welcome and Family photo and chats with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (ASEAN Chair) and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Rome on October 30. Picture: Adam Taylor

Singapore is Australia’s sixth largest market for overseas visitors, with 417,000 people arriving in 2019 who spent an average of $2638 each during their trips.

Mr Morrison said Australia would be “slinging its doors open” in three weeks as the country was “inching back to normal” in the recovery from the Covid pandemic.

“This is another significant milestone in our step-by-step approach to safely reopening to the world that we outlined in the national plan,” he said.

“This means within weeks Australia will be welcoming tourists from two of our top ten travel destinations.”

“This is the billion dollar boost that Australia’s tourism industry has been waiting for.”

Singapore had been Australia’s third largest market in Asia for overseas travellers prior to the pandemic, with 56 per cent arriving for holidays, 20 per cent visiting friends and family and 18 per cent travelling down under for work.

The new arrangement is expected to be a boost for the business community, with Singapore ranking as Australia’s sixth largest trade and investment partner. Two-way trade totalled $27bn last year.