Short-term travel increases in April following NZ travel bubble: Australia

Overseas visitor arrivals to Australia increased to 22,610 trips and residents returning from short-term trips (less than one year) increased to 16,990 in April 2021. These are the highest numbers since COVID-19 travel restrictions were imposed in March 2020, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Director of Migration Statistics, Jenny Dobak, said the increase was largely due to the introduction of the trans-Tasman travel bubble on 18 April 2021, which allows quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand.

"With the introduction of the travel bubble there were 16,320 visitor arrivals from New Zealand in April 2021, an increase from 2,060 in the previous month. There were also 10,250 Australian residents returning from short-term trips to New Zealand, increasing from 1,760 in March 2021.

"People are taking up the opportunity for two-way quarantine-free travel across the Tasman.

"New Zealand was the largest source country for all overseas short-term visitors, accounting for 72 per cent of visitor arrivals in April 2021. New Zealand was also the largest source country for all overseas arrivals.

"Although there was an increase in overseas arrivals and departures in April 2021, travel numbers remain historically low compared with pre-COVID levels."