The global travel and tourism industries were likely the ones most negatively influenced by the impact of COVID 19. With the mass lockdowns, quarantines, and almost all countries closing their borders, travel became an almost foreign occurrence during the pandemic. Whether one searched for local destinations or the tickets to Mauritius, chances were that they found the same information on those being closed or unavailable at the time of the pandemic. While many countries have opened and closed their borders several times due to the virus, it has not been consistent and definitely not been the safest option as most countries which opened borders instantly experienced a rise in their COVID-19 cases.
Nonetheless, with the vaccines finally rolling out worldwide and countries taking the lead to mass vaccinate the vulnerable sections of society as well as the front line workers, travel can be expected to reopen sooner than later. The same can be said about Sydney, which is set to reopen borders once the vaccination reaches phase 2a.
Sydney has been one of the most commended cities for the way they handled COVID-19 since they ensured cases do not rise exponentially unlike in most developed cities worldwide. Businesses in the city – from retail to the best digital marketing agency Sydney, have shown resilience amidst the crisis. Thus, it is no wonder that Sydney is already preparing to kickstart travel during the pandemic.
Here are the ways in which Sydney aims to go about reopening their borders
1. Vaccinations
Vaccines have been an essential aspect of travel for several decades now, with people having to vaccinate for the Swine Flu, Influenza, Yellow Fever, amongst other diseases to travel. COVID-19 vaccine passports were already an expectation before the vaccines were even released. Therefore, one of the most essential aspects of allowing travelers to enter Sydney will be their ability to showcase that they have been vaccinated. This is the only way Sydney can also ensure the safety of their citizens while reopening borders and ensure that cases do not increase once again.
2. Priority Basis
Another important factor that will be recognized when the borders first reopen is that travelers will be allowed in on a priority basis. That is to say that Sydney does not expect to open travel fully just yet. They aim to first target the international students, Australians stranded outside the borders, and skilled workers. Moreover, Sydney will only be allowing low risk countries to re-enter its borders at least in the first few months of reopening. Thus, individuals will only be admitted to Sydney on priority basis to test out the ability to open the borders to a larger audience.
It can be expected that travel will look different after the pandemic, many experts state that wearing a mask while traveling across countries may become mandatory. Moreover, vaccinations will definitely be a necessity for international travel to ensure borders don’t have to keep closing. With cities like Sydney already taking the first steps to prepare for travel, it can also be expected that other cities will soon follow the lead. How travel changes, nonetheless, will only be apparent when the restrictions are removed and it can be the normal once again.