Australia

Australia extends New Zealand ‘travel bubble’ pause amid new COVID-19 cases

By Steven I. Green 5 months ago

WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Australia on Thursday extended its suspension of quarantine-free travel with New Zealand, as the Pacific Island nation investigated two new positive cases of the South African COVID-19 variant.

Australian Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said the travel pause on green zone flights from New Zealand to Australia was extended until Sunday.

“This allows continuing protection of the people of Australia, while the extent of the situation in New Zealand continues to be clarified,” Kidd told a news conference.

Australia suspended a one-way “travel bubble” with its trans-Tasman neighbour for 72 hours earlier this week after New Zealand confirmed its first case in months on Monday.

Since then, two people have tested positive to the South African variant of the coronavirus, and all cases are linked to the same quarantine facility in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.

The new infections come as New Zealand was ranked the

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Rita Ora taken into mandatory quarantine by armed police after arriving in Australia

By Steven I. Green 5 months ago

Rita Ora taken was taken into her mandatory 14-day quarantine by armed police after arriving in Australia.

The singer has travelled Down Under ahead of her stint as a judge on the Australian version of The Voice and has to follow the country’s guidance on arrivals from abroad.

The Sun reports Rita, 30, entered quarantine after landing in Sydney after her flight in from the UK.

She will have been escorted by police officers, customary for all travellers being taken into quarantine, driven to her designated hotel and told to stay put for 14 days.

Australian officials provide transport and arrange the accommodation, while the process is overseen by border agents and Australian Federal Police.

Travellers quarantining will need to have a Covid test within the first 48 hours after arrival and then again between days 10 to 12.



a young girl sitting on a bed: Rita Ora has gone into quarantine after landing in Australia

© ritaora/Instagram
Rita Ora has gone into quarantine after landing in

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Tourism Australia: Demand for regional Aussie travel tours soar

By Steven I. Green 5 months ago

Culinary travel is associated with overseas destinations but Australians are discovering delectable experiences in their own backyard.

Culinary travel has long been associated with exotic overseas destinations but with the world the way it is, Australians are discovering delectable and enlightening experiences in their own backyard.

Embarking on a food tour is not just about filling your belly and tantalising your tastebuds, it is a way of gaining greater understanding of an area and its history through immersion and discovery.

Food and tourism marketing specialist Holly Galbraith said the industry was being forced to diversify with more experiences on offer following a resurgence in domestic travel.

“Through this pandemic, people definitely have that growing interest in where their food is coming from,” Galbraith says. “We’ve become really hyper-local, so not only are we wanting to support producers, operators or farmers from Australia, we want to support them from certain areas

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Australia Likely To Keep Borders Closed Until 2021 Due to COVID-19

By 1 year ago

The country is unlikely to open its borders to international travelers until at least 2021

Don’t expect to fly into Australia anytime soon. According to Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, the country is unlikely to open its borders to international travelers until at least 2021 due to the pandemic. Birmingham also told the National Press Club it is “more likely” Australians will be banned from overseas travel until 2021 as well — unless under special exemptions for limited business travel, the New Zealand Herald reports.

“I hope that we can look eventually at some of those countries who have similar successes in suppressing the spread of COVID to Australia and New Zealand, and in working … with those countries to find safe pathways to deal with essential business travel that helps to contribute to jobs across our economies,” Birmingham said, adding that “in terms of open tourist-related travel in or

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