US to end testing requirements

Senior woman and adult son wearing face mask at airport in fear of coronavirus and travel ban and international trips cancellations for disease control and prevention of COVID-19 outbreak pandemic.

From Sunday US-time, passengers will be able to board flights to the US without a negative coronavirus test.

This removes a massive brake on the highly popular US leisure and business travel market for travelling Australians and corporate Australia.

It also benefits the American tourist market to Australia, with many Americans afraid to travel internationally while it was in force given the risk of testing positive and being stranded abroad.

“North America is our 3rd largest and most important market in terms of outbound travel, both corporate and leisure,” the Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) CEO Dean Long said.

“This is in addition to the significance of US tourists for Australia’s inbound tourism sector.”

The requirement has been in place since January 2021. The Travel Sector globally including the AFTA has pushed for the removal of a requirement to test negative within one day before boarding a flight to the US given the inconsistent application which meant no testing for land border crossings.

“The fact that from tomorrow you can get on a flight to the US without having to go through the rigmarole of a negative coronavirus test will unleash significant pent-up demand from Australians visiting the US for fun and for business,” Long said.“This is also very welcome news for Australia’s travel agents, businesses and travel management companies given the fact that 70%-plus of international travel booked by Australians is booked through them.“A reminder too that if your Passport has less than six months’ validity on it, start the renewal process now.”

Prior to COVID-19, there were over 1.1 million trips to the USA from Australia and the US was Australia’s 3rd most popular travel Destination behind New Zealand and Bali.

Australians spent on average $4,200 per trip per person.

Latest News

  • Cruise

Aurora Expeditions announces savings for solo travellers

Aurora Expeditions has today announced savings for solo travellers thinking of going north for the summer. Adventurous solo travellers can take advantage of no solo supplements, enjoying a guaranteed private cabin on select departures during Aurora’s Arctic 2024 season with plenty of options available on unforgettable voyages visiting Greenland, Svalbard, Northwest Passage, Iceland and more. […]

  • Aviation
  • Destinations

Etihad and Tourism officials launch free Abu Dhabi Stopover

Etihad Airways and the UAE’s Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi have announced the launch of Abu Dhabi Stopover which invites guests flying through to turn their stopover into a free hotel stay and holiday. The Abu Dhabi Stopover, exclusive to Etihad Airways, will enable passengers to enjoy a convenient free stay in […]

  • Destinations

Tropical North Queensland action-packed events calendar for adventure enthusiasts

Sporting enthusiasts and adventure seekers are gearing up for an action-packed year in Tropical North Queensland, with a lineup of sports events and adrenaline-pumping experiences set to take centre stage in 2024. Leading the charge is the highly-anticipated return of the Crankworx World Tour ‘Paradise Edition’ to Cairns from 22-26 May 2024. The mountain biking […]

  • Travel Agents

Disney Days returns with Inside Out 2 showing in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland

Time is running out for agents to register their Expression of Interest to an exclusive screening of the much-anticipated Disney and Pixar film, Inside Out 2, hosted by Disney Destinations Australia/New Zealand team and partner United Airlines. Places are limited and applications must be in by 17 May. In addition to the screening of the […]

  • Cruise

Aranui Cruises slashes prices with No Single Supplement and Half Price offers

French Polynesian cargo cruise line Aranui Cruises is slashing thousands off its 2025 Austral and Marquesas Islands cruises with an autumn sale offering 50 per cent off the second guest in a twin share room and no single supplement for solo travellers. On sale until June 21, 2024, Aranui’s 12-day roundtrip voyage from Papeete to […]

  • Destinations

Raes on Wategos celebrates 30th birthday and guests get the presents

World famous luxury boutique hotel Raes on Wategos, in Byron Bay, has launched its 30th birthday celebrations with a Raes Indulgent Escape package. Available for all stays of two nights or more, from June to August, the curated package offers an invitation to indulge in a shared celebration of Raes 30th birthday, whilst revelling in […]