Listen Now: Don’t Go Down Under

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Want to head down under, you have some extra time to plan the trip. I’m Brian Banmiller on Business.

Earlier this week Australia’s prime minister announced that 80% of the population aged sixteen or older are fully vaccinated. This means the country can begin to welcome back people from overseas. But if you’re hoping that means you can finally book your honeymoon or snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, think again. The first people allowed in will be vaccinated citizens and permanent residents who have been stuck in other countries. After that the priority shifts to skilled migrants and international students. Officials say universities that rely on fees paid by international students are worried that they will soon start looking to other countries. Then further down the list is international tourists. And allowing those travelers in won’t even begin until next year. The Australian Tourism Export Council represents a sector that makes about thirty-three billion dollars a year from international tourists. Because of that, the council is hoping that international tourism will pick up by march. But until then, the wait to travel down under continues. Brian Banmiller, CBS News.

About Brian

CBS News Radio national business journalist Brian Banmiller has spent more than 40 years in the news industry, covering business, politics and the economy on television, radio and in print. Currently, his “Banmiller on Business” reports are delivered to an audience of millions nationwide.