As Australia opens up, Indonesia clamps down as Covid spreads

While there’s good news for people who want to travel to Australia, one of our biggest destinations is going the other way.

As Australia is finally preparing to re-open its borders to international tourists, one of our biggest neighbours and most popular tourist destinations is clamping down as Covid spreads.

Indonesia revealed today it will tighten restrictions in Jakarta and Bali, as well as in two other cities on Java island as the Omicron variant takes hold.

There has been confusion as to whether this means international visitors will be allowed in, especially to the tourist haven of Bali.

Since mid-October, only tourists from a selection of countries were allowed to fly direct to Bali, but Australia was not on the list.

There are still no direct flights from Australia to Bali and no word on when they will be approved.

The nation’s transport ministry clarified today that overseas tourists would still be able to enter the country through the capital Jakarta.

This came only hours after it said foreign tourists and Indonesians returning from holidays abroad would be temporarily banned from flying into Jakarta, as a further precaution against Covid-19.

Due to severe coronavirus border control measures and a closed airport, Bali has gone from welcoming millions of international visitors to only 45 in 2021 credit: iStock

In a statement today, according to Reuters, the transport ministry said tourists with the right paperwork could arrive through Jakarta and Bali airports.

However, in the news that will undoubtedly deter Australians from booking a Bali holiday, vaccinated travellers will still be required to quarantine for five days.

Travellers who have not been vaccinated must be quarantined for seven days.

Due to severe coronavirus border control measures and a closed airport, Bali has gone from welcoming millions of international visitors to only 45 in 2021.

The first commercial tourist flight in almost two years landed in Bali last week, with eight Japanese travellers arriving on a Garuda flight from Tokyo.

Jetstar has tentative plans to resume flights to Bali from Sydney and Melbourne on March 1, but says the dates could be brought forward if and when Indonesia gives the green light.

Qantas is scheduled to resume flights in late March and Virgin Australia still has no firm date.

The Southeast Asian country has seen a jump in cases driven by the Omicron variant, with more than 36,000 infections reported on Sunday and the bed occupancy rate at hospitals in the capital reaching 63 per cent, up from 45 per cent in January.

Australia opens up

After two long years, Australia is finally preparing to re-open its borders to international tourists.

Covid-19 forced the government to close the border on March 20, 2020.

It has gradually reopened to select visa holders, international students and backpackers over the past six months.

From February 21, international tourists, business travellers, family and friends will be welcomed back to Australia once again.

Here’s everything you need to know about the restart of international travel.

The international arrivals halls of Australia’s major airports will soon welcome people once more. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

What has changed?

After almost two years, international tourism will resume from February 21, meaning anyone with a valid visa (tourism, business and beyond) can fly Down Under. Some individual state-based arrival caps will be scrapped. State-based quarantine arrangements will continue under the control of individual jurisdictions.

Who will be allowed to travel to Australia?

Only double vaccinated international arrivals with a valid visa will be allowed to enter Australia – including all tourists, business travellers and other visa holders. In a dig directed at tennis world number one Novak Djokovic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the events “earlier this year” should have sent a “very clear message to everyone around the world that (vaccination) is the requirement to enter Australia”.

Those seeking to enter Australia who are not vaccinated will have to provide proof of a medical reason as to why they cannot be vaccinated, and will be subject to state-based quarantine requirements.

International arrivals will be allowed to enter Australia provided they have had two vaccination doses from February 21. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

When will international tourists be able to arrive?

International arrivals with a valid visa will be able to enter Australia from Monday, February 21.

What conditions will they have placed on them?

Anyone seeking to enter Australia on a tourism, business or other visa must be double vaccinated. Anyone who has a valid medical exemption will need to provide proof. Arrivals will not be subject to quarantine, unless it is required by an individual state.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has thanked tourism providers for their patience in waiting for borders to reopen. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

What are the rules around vaccination?

In order to enter Australia, you must be double vaccinated, either by a TGA approved vaccine – like Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax and AstraZeneca, or a TGA recognised vaccine – including Johnson & Johnson and Sputnik. Despite signs ATAGI could soon update its definition of “fully vaccinated” to mean two doses and a booster, Mr Morrison says the entry condition is just the first two doses because there are “various agreements around the world”.

What about testing?

Depending on which states they plan on travelling to, international arrivals may need to get a PCR or rapid antigen test after they arrive. Individual states and territories are expected to make announcements about what their conditions are. The federal government has not yet announced whether pre-departure testing will be scrapped.

Where can international tourists go?

Western Australia will remain off the table for some time to international travellers, but individual states and territories are expected to endorse Monday’s announcement. International arrivals have not needed to quarantine in Victoria or NSW since last year, and the requirement was scrapped in Queensland last month. Some states could require arrivals to take a rapid antigen test or a PCR test over the course of their stay.

- with NCA NewsWire