Tassie rolls out the welcome mat

Quarantine axed ahead of time for Victorians

HUNDREDS of travellers will enter Tasmania from Victoria on Friday without the need to quarantine, as Tasmanian tourism operators prepare for an expected rush in bookings from the state’ s biggest visitor market.

Tasmanian borders have opened to Victoria for the first time in more than eight months, meaning there is now quarantine-free travel from all Australian states and territories, except South Australia.

Passengers will arrive at Tasmanian ports on 11 flights across four airlines from Melbourne on Friday — four into Hobart, three into Launceston, two into Devonport and one into Burnie.

It comes after Victoria brought under control a largescale corona virus outbreak and now has no active cases.

The relaxation of borders is set to significantly boost the state’s tourism sector with Victoria making up about 40 percent of Tasmania’ s domestic tourism market.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said, while an uptick in visitors from other states had been welcome, Victoria was“the main game ”.

“Wear every much looking forward to seeing Victorians much earlier than what was expected,’’ he said.

Mr Martin said there was “excitement and enthusiasm” among tourism operators but also some trepidation.

“With every state that’s opened, we are seeing a bit of a rush of activity straight away and that clearly shows the pen t-up demand ,’’ he said.

Mr Martin said he hoped Victorians would choose driving holidays in Tasmania, calling for fees associated with taking vehicles on the Spirit of Tasmania to be reduced.

Airlines are starting to return to somewhere near pre-COVID levels and a Qantas spokesman said there had been strong demand for services to and from Tasmania.

He said flights from Melbourne to Hobart, Launceston and Devonport would ramp up, with routes from Hobart to Canberra and Brisbane to start on December 4.

“We expect to be offering more than 16,000 seats per week on services to and from Tasmania in the lead-up to the busy school holiday period and over the summer break,’’ thespokesman said.

A Jetstar spokesman said during December, the airline would increase its schedule to operate up to 77 return flights per week between Tasmania and Victoria.

Premier Peter Gutwein said while quarantine was no longer required, travellers from Victoria would still be health-screened at the border along with visitors from other jurisdictions.

Public Health director Mark Veitch said Tasmanians should feel comfortable about welcoming Victorian visitors because that state had not recorded a new COVID-19 case since October 29.

Dr Veitch said authorities hoped travellers from South Australia would soon be allowed without the need for quarantine, but said that could not happen yet with new cases being diagnosed in that state.

Mr Gut we in said Victorian arrivals should register travel and contact details through the Tase-Travel system.

WITH EVERY STATE THAT’S OPENED, WE ARE SEEING A BIT OF A RUSH OF ACTIVITY STRAIGHT AWAY AND THAT CLEARLY SHOWS THE PENT-UP DEMAND

TOURISM INDUSTRY COUNCIL TASMANIA CHIEF EXECUTIVE LUKE MARTIN