Major tourist destination to open border to Aussies
Thailand is the latest tourist paradise to set a holiday date for Aussies.
From November 1, fully-vaccinated Australians will be allowed to skip Covid-19 quarantine when visiting the Southeast Asian country.
Australia was among 46 countries announced by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha on Thursday to be included in new quarantine-free travel arrangements.
Prayuth said the visitors could skip mandatory quarantine as long as they arrive via air, have been fully vaccinated and have a document to show they are virus-free.
Thailand will reopen the capital Bangkok and other key tourist destinations, including Hua Hin and Pattaya, where curfews will be lifted at the end of the month.
Covid hits tourism hard
The Southeast Asian country is seeking to revive its vital tourism industry after losing about $50 billion in tourism revenue last year, an 82 per cent plunge.
It started with a pilot reopening that began on July 1 on its most popular island, Phuket, which has been vaccinating most of its local population.
Just 100,000 foreign visitors are expected this year, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
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Qantas launches flights to Thailand
It comes as Qantas and Jetstar bring forward planned international flights to Thailand, out of Sydney.
The faster ramp-up follows the federal and New South Wales governments confirming international borders will reopen from 1 November 2021.
The NSW government has also decided to remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated arrivals. Qantas said this would significantly increase travel demand.
The updated international schedule includes:
Sydney to Bangkok: Qantas flights will resume on 14 January 2022, more than two months earlier than scheduled.
Sydney to Phuket: Jetstar flights will resume on 12 January 2022, more than two months earlier than scheduled.
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