Bookings To Australia Soar As Borders Reopened After Nearly Two Years

Image: The famous Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. (photo courtesy of Collette) (Provided by Collette)
Image: The famous Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia. (photo courtesy of Collette) (Provided by Collette)
Bruce Parkinson
by Bruce Parkinson
Last updated: 5:36 AM ET, Tue February 22, 2022

Yesterday marked the first time Australia welcomed back vaccinated international travellers after nearly two years of closed borders.

The hope is that the policy change will bring back billions of dollars to the island nation's domestic tourism industry.

Global technology company Travelport, which powers bookings for hundreds of thousands of travel suppliers worldwide, released trend data highlighting how Aussies and the rest of the world are celebrating the occasion.

On February 7, 2022, Australia announced it would reopen its borders to vaccinated travellers as of February 21. On that day, international flight bookings to Australia increased by 93% when compared to the same day the week prior.

-- 75% of international inbound bookings are for leisure travel.

-- Solo travellers made up 35% of all Australian-bound flight bookings, the largest segment. This may largely be comprised of Australian expats eager to return home, no longer needing to endure a mandatory two-week hotel quarantine.

-- Of all future inbound bookings, February 2022 is the most popular month to travel to Australia, making up 45% of all reservations.

-- The top three Australian destinations for international travellers are Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

-- Travellers are looking to stay longer down under. The average length of an international trip from Australia has increased to 32 days in 2022, ten days longer than the 22-day average in 2019.

Topics From This Article to Explore

Featured Video

Get To Know Us Better

Advertise with UsTravelPulse Canada has been voted #1 by Travel Advisors in Canada year after year.. Let us help you connect with them.
Follow us on Social MediaDaily updates on Travel industry news and events across our social media channels stay current follow along!
Advertise with UsTravelPulse Canada has been voted #1 by Travel Advisors in Canada year after year.. Let us help you connect with them.
Follow us on Social MediaDaily updates on Travel industry news and events across our social media channels stay current follow along!

Become A Travel Expert

Upcoming Webinar
Japan in Bloom: Sell Spring 2027 Cruises with Confidence with HankyuMonday, July 27, 2026
4:00pm Eastern
Spring is one of the most sought-after times to visit Japan, making it the perfect opportunity to...
Upcoming Webinar
Asia Travel That SellsWednesday, July 29, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, and TravelPulse for an in depth webinar on Asia travel. Explore...
Upcoming Webinar
Close to Home, Big Opportunity: Selling Today's Domestic Travel TrendsThursday, July 30, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, and TravelPulse for a webinar exploring the growing demand for...
Upcoming Webinar
Japan in Bloom: Sell Spring 2027 Cruises with Confidence with HankyuMonday, July 27, 2026
4:00pm Eastern
Spring is one of the most sought-after times to visit Japan, making it the perfect opportunity to...
Upcoming Webinar
Asia Travel That SellsWednesday, July 29, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, and TravelPulse for an in depth webinar on Asia travel. Explore...
Upcoming Webinar
Close to Home, Big Opportunity: Selling Today's Domestic Travel TrendsThursday, July 30, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Join Travel Weekly, TravelAge West, and TravelPulse for a webinar exploring the growing demand for...