20 February 2022

Australia Reopens Borders Monday, Feb. 21: Here are 13 Places to Visit

By Jim Byers

Member, Society of American Travel Writers (SATW)

After nearly two years of closed borders and virtually no tourism, Australia is flinging open the doors to visitors on Monday, Feb. 21.

It’s a momentous occasion for a country that has always placed a high value on attracting tourists.

“There is no doubt that a full recovery will take time, but we are confident that the demand for Australia is strong,” Phillipa Harrison, the managing director of Tourism Australia, the country’s tourism board, told The New York Times.

The Times said tourism was one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia’s economy before the pandemic, contributing 45 billion Australian dollars in 2019, or $32 billion. It also notes Oz is one of the countries most immunized against COVID-19, with 94% of residents 16 years of age and older being fully vaccinated.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit three times over the years, and have met with dozens of Down Under tourism representatives at events in Toronto and at the Australia Tourism Exchange event in Queensland a few years ago. Here are some of my top suggestions for where to go when you visit.

THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD

The Great Ocean Road in the state of Victoria, Australia. Alex Rhee-Unsplash Photo

FRASER ISLAND, QUEENSLAND

Fraser Island, Queensland. JIM BYERS PHOTO

ULURU

Uluru is a mystical, magical part of Australia. JIM BYERS PHOTO

LADY ELLIOT ISLAND

Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, is on the southern edge of the Great Barrier Reef. The snorkelling is amazing. JIM BYERS PHOTO

LORD HOWE ISLAND

It’s not easy to get to, but Lord Howe Island (part of New South Wales in Australia) is a place with only a couple of hotels and small B & B’s. You can’t get much more isolated than this. JIM BYERS PHOTO

KINGS CANYON