Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Australia’s borders will swing open for fully-vaccinated travellers from February 21. It comes as Covid-19 cases continue to drop. Australia’s international borders have been closed nearly two years with the tourism sector badly affected. It has been hailed by trade groups and airlines including Qantas. "Borders reopening to international tourists means Australia is finally back open for business," Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said. "We will be looking at our schedules to see if we can restart flights from more international destinations sooner or add capacity to those routes we are already flying.” "We have the flexibility to ramp up flights in response to demand." The PM said the federal government had been working tirelessly to re-open Australia's borders in stages since November 2021. “Those programmes have proceeded very successfully - whether it was programmes with New Zealand or Singapore, , opening up to international students and backpackers and economic migrants who are coming to Australia, that will now be extended to international visitors who will be able to return," he said. "If you're double-vaccinated, we look forward to welcoming you back to Australia and I know the tourism industry will be looking forward to that." Since November, when border restrictions were first relaxed, about 300,000 people have entered Australia.

New South Wales will scrap quarantine for vaccinated travellers entering the state from 1 November but the Prime Minister has blocked the state's plans to welcome foreign tourists for now. Australians returning home are given priority for now, the federal government said. It comes as the first arrivals started a seven day home quarantine trial in NSW. "Sydney, NSW, is open for business," NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said. Qantas said it would bring forward its international flights restart by two weeks, to November 1.   Read full story