Are you planning to visit Australia? Is it dangerous to travel to Australia? SKAL wants you to visit Down Under and doesn’t think anyone traveling to Australia for a vacation is crazy. How to plan Australian holidays in the time of bushfires?
These are questions ten thousands of international tourists, the travel and tourism industry are asking. Welcome to tourism during bushfires.
Bushfires in Australia are on a deadly attack also on the travel and tourism infrastructure of the country. The worst wildfires seen in decades are causing global travel alerts and death on one hand. On the other hand a vibrant tourism industry ready to welcome you and show you the best time ever on the Australian continent.
Most destinations in Australia remain safe and continue to welcome visitors. All international airports in Australia are operating as normal.
Responsible travel to Australia is the response to why visiting Australia has never been so important. SKAL International Australia president Alfred Merse shared with fellow members around the globe.
Skål is a professional organization of tourism leaders around the world, promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel and tourism industry.
Its members, the industry’s managers, and executives meet at local, national, regional and international levels to discuss and pursue topics of common interest.
Skål International today has approximately 15,000 members in more than 350 Clubs throughout 83 nations.
His message: “As with all-natural disasters, lives have been lost, homes, businesses and much property and wildlife have been destroyed. The livelihoods of many have been severely impacted.”
“The widespread publicity both within Australia and globally will no doubt have an impact on our travel and tourism industries and that will directly affect many of our Skal members.”
We encourage all travelers visiting Australia to seek the most up-to-date information for their planned itinerary prior to departure, and remain informed about changing conditions while in Australia.
WILL THE BUSHFIRES AFFECT MY TRIP?
Most destinations in Australia remain safe and continue to welcome visitors. All international airports in Australia are operating as normal.
It is more important than ever to support Australian tourism providers, whether in unaffected regions or those that will recover from these bushfires in the months and years to come. The best way to support Australia, Australian communities, and the tourism sector is to keep visiting. If you cannot travel to an affected area due to bushfires, one of the many ways to help includes rescheduling instead of canceling a planned trip to support the communities in the coming months.
WHICH AUSTRALIAN DESTINATIONS ARE IMPACTED?
Updated as at 14 January 2020
Below is a summary of some of our most popular destinations for international travelers, and whether they have been impacted by the current bushfires or are safe to visit. The list will be updated regularly, however, conditions can change quickly, and travelers should seek the most up to date information from regional websites.
This is not a complete list of affected areas, so if you are traveling outside these areas, please refer to our bushfire safety page for links to regional sites.
QUEENSLAND
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Brisbane | Not impacted |
Cairns | Not impacted |
Fraser Coast | Not impacted |
Gold Coast | Not impacted |
Sunshine Coast | Not impacted |
Townsville | Not impacted |
Whitsundays and Southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland | Not impacted |
NEW SOUTH WALES
For more information on other destinations in New South Wales please go to Visit NSW.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Canberra | Partially impacted by smoke haze – go to ACT Government and Visit Canberra for more information |
VICTORIA
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
East Gippsland | Impacted – go to Vic Emergency for more information |
Great Ocean Road | Not impacted |
Melbourne | Partially impacted by smoke haze – for more information go to www.epa.vic.gov.au |
Phillip Island | Not impacted |
Upper Murray (east of Wodonga) | Impacted – go to Vic Emergency for more information |
Yarra Valley and Dandenong Ranges | Not impacted |
For more information on other destinations in Victoria, please go to Visit Victoria.
TASMANIA
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Hobart and surrounds | Not impacted |
Launceston and surrounds | Not impacted |
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Adelaide and Surrounds | Not impacted |
Kangaroo Island | Impacted – go to SA County Fire Service and South Australian Tourism Commission for more information |
For more information on other South Australian destinations such as the Barossa, Fleurieu Peninsula, Limestone Coast, Eyre Peninsula, and the Flinders Ranges and Outback, please go to South Australian Tourism Commission.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Australia’s Coral Coast (including Ningaloo Reef) | Not impacted |
Australia’s Golden Outback (including the Nullarbor) | Not impacted |
Australia’s South West (including Margaret River) | Not impacted |
North West (including Broome) | Not impacted |
Perth | Not impacted |
For more information on other affected destinations in Western Australia, please go to Emergency WA and Mainroads Western Australia.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Destination | Impacted or not impacted |
---|---|
Alice Springs | Not impacted |
Darwin and surrounds | Not impacted |
Uluru and surrounds | Not impacted |
Click here for an update on areas affected by the fires,
More coverage on Australia click here