S’pore-Australia Travel Bubble More Likely to Happen in End of 2021

Back in 2020, if Singaporeans heard there was a “travel bubble” in the works with another country, they’d get excited and start making vacation plans.

Now, if news of a proposed travel bubble emerged, Singaporeans would sigh and look into the distance wistfully.

That’s because travel bubbles that have been launched in the past have always been postponed or cancelled, thanks to a fresh outbreak of COVID-19 infections.

Despite all the heartbreak, we still have a little hope in our hearts that one travel bubble will go through as proposed.

We may have to wait a little longer for it, though.

S’pore-Australia Travel Bubble More Likely to Happen in End of 2021

A travel bubble between Singapore and Australia would be “more likely to happen” towards the end of 2021.

That’s the message Australian minister for trade, tourism, and investment Dan Tehan had for hopeful travellers on both sides.

“Obviously we want to see a travel bubble with Singapore and that’s something that both countries are aiming for,” he said.

“At this stage, it’s more likely to happen towards the end of this year as we make sure that both countries can fully roll out their vaccination programmes.”

Mr Tehan added that certain measures will have to be implemented before the travel bubble can be launched, including vaccine certificates.

The first group of travellers from Singapore who could be given priority to travel to Australia is students, so they can pursue or complete their studies once it’s safe to enter the country.

In the meantime, the two countries will “continue to engage” on the matter, he said.

Australia’s COVID-19 Situation

Compared to other countries’ second and third waves, Australia’s latest outbreak may not seem severe at first:

However, Australia’s method of combating the virus involved incredibly strict border measures, in the hope that they’d be able to shut out the virus completely.

This is why many Australians have complained of being stranded abroad.

With few cases since the start of the year thanks to the border measures, it has created the illusion that the country had won the battle with COVID-19.

Wearing masks were not always mandatory even after the outbreaks last year, and residents have complained of a sluggish mass vaccination drive.

Now, the country is grappling with the highly infectious Delta variant, which is fuelling the country’s third wave.

Most of the cases are in Sydney, which recently entered its third week of lockdown.

A woman in her 90s also succumbed to the virus, becoming the country’s first Covid-19 fatality this year.

Before residents here can make plans for a vacation down under, Australia will have to speed up its vaccination drive, among other things.

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