Is international travel closer than we think?
It’s been more than 18 months since Australia’s general population were last able to venture overseas, but borders are set to reopen in November and international travel might be back on the agenda soon.
Australian airlines like Qantas are taking bookings for overseas flights as early as November 2021, and cruises are already setting sail in Europe and North America. The parameters around international travel are still evolving, but there’s no doubting that COVID-19 has reshaped this much-loved experience.
To help clear up some confusion about what international travel will be like moving forward, we sat down with RAA Travel General Manager, Gina Norman, and asked her some of your burning questions.
Read on for all her answers (plus tips for getting overseas travel-ready), but first – take our poll to share some of your views about international travel.
Are you the ruler of the road?
Now let’s answer your questions about international travel.
<strong>When can we expect international travel to potentially reopen?</strong>
Realistically, international travel will be available again from the first quarter of calendar 2022, however Qantas has recently opened bookings for international flights from November 2021.
<strong>Which destinations will be available first for Australian travellers?</strong>
It’s expected that New Zealand, Singapore, Fiji, Japan and other South Pacific destinations will be first. The United Kingdom, Europe and North America will follow, and Africa and South America are expected to be last.
<strong>Have people been leaving their passports to expire during the COVID-19 pandemic?</strong>
More than two million Australians haven’t renewed their passport since the start of COVID.
<strong>What will that mean when international travel starts again?</strong>
It’s likely there will be a rush on passport renewals, resulting in longer issue times due to the backlog. If your passport has expired and you’re looking to travel in 2022, our recommendation is to start the process now.
<strong>How will international travel have changed since most of us were last able to go overseas?</strong>
There will be delays with overseas travel, similar to after 9/11 when many new security protocols were imposed.
As a result of COVID-19, we’ll see increased health security protocols in addition to current safety and anti-terrorism measures.
There will also be an incredibly fast increase in the demand for travel. We’ve all been locked up for too long and we’re itching for a holiday.
Many travellers will be planning more than one trip at a time, such as a weekend getaway, an overseas holiday and a visit to family and friends interstate. Normally these trips would be planned one at a time. You’ll want to get in early and pre-book tours, hotels and restaurants due to the high demand.
With increased COVID-19 measures and ever-changing border controls, it’s likely travellers will be looking for advice to ensure they don’t just have the best holiday, but it also runs smoothly.
This means they’ll want someone to call for help if anything changes while they’re travelling. Travel agents overseas are receiving three times the enquires they were getting pre-COVID, so it’s best to connect with your travel expert well in advance when you start planning your next international holiday.
<strong>Will cruising be on the agenda when international travel recommences?</strong>
Cruising is still immensely popular and cruise companies worldwide have probably been the best travel sector during the pandemic for looking after their customers. They’ve provided generous future credits over and above the original fares paid.
More than a million passengers have sailed successfully in countries where cruising has resumed with tight health protocols and vaccination requirements in place. This is running well across Europe, North America and parts of Asia.
<strong>Do you believe cruising will still be a popular form of travel?</strong>
Cruising has a very high repeat-passenger rate of around 95%, so it makes sense for cruise companies to protect their customers so they can enjoy cruising in the future.
We’re seeing itineraries right through until 2023-24 and 2022 to 2023 seasons are booking fast. So, the message here is to book very early to ensure availability. You can always change the dates or itinerary later, but you don’t want to miss out.
<strong>Will travel insurance include cover for if you get sick with COVID-19 while overseas?</strong>
RAA Travel Insurance will be introducing a special COVID-19 cover in our premium insurance for international travel. This should be available from October 2021 and will have certain provisions for COVID-19 protection while you’re overseas or quarantining overseas, subject to terms and conditions.
Once it’s released, we’ll have a full product disclosure statement explaining all the features and benefits.