Tasmania vying to stay on radar of airlines as Australian state border restrictions ease

Travel bubble arrangements between Tasmania and other Australian jurisdictions commence in just over a week, but there’s only one destination residents will really be free to travel to and fro. LATEST >>

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THE commencement of travel bubbles between Tasmania and other COVID-safe Australian destinations is just over a week away, but there are questions about how much they will benefit the state’s economy in the short term.

From August 7, there will be no quarantine requirements for travellers arriving from South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory, as announced last week by Premier Peter Gutwein.

Jetstar is currently selling direct flights between Hobart and Adelaide on selected days, but daily services will operate from August 31.

Western Australia’s hard border arrangements mean there is currently no direct flights between that state and Tasmania and there are no direct flights between Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey said demand in coming months would drive the increased activity of airlines in Tasmania.

Mr Bailey said it was important the state stayed on the radar of airlines as an attractive option as more border restrictions were eased.

“It will be a competitive market as states start to open up,’’ he said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see us getting flights from Perth to Tasmania.

“We know that Perth is a market that looks internationally rather than the eastern seaboard and they can’t access usual destinations.

“We have a real opportunity of bringing tourists from the far west into Tasmania.

“But realistically in the short term, that’s more likely to be through Adelaide.”

TICT chief executive Luke Martin said it’s going to be a tough slog for operators in the early stages of reopening the borders. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said it would be a “slow slog” as the state worked towards welcoming more visitors, but said opening up soon to a select number of destinations was a start.

A Virgin Australia spokeswoman said the airline would run three Hobart-Sydney and Launceston-Sydney flights per week from August 17, and the same amount of Brisbane-Hobart flights from August 10.

The spokeswoman said Melbourne and Perth routes to Tasmania were suspended due to border restrictions.

Qantas said its Launceston-Melbourne services were still operating.

Currently, arrivals into Tasmania must register to travel using the G2G pass.

Mr Gutwein said Tasmania would not open to coronavirus-ravaged Victoria in the near future, but said he would provide an update on August 7 on possible time frames for relaxing restrictions with Queensland, NSW and ACT.

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