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From 8pm tonight (Friday, 3 December 2021), all travellers from South Australia will need to do seven days' home quarantine upon arrival in the Territory.

South Australia has announced 18 new locally acquired cases of Covid-19, as it tightens its domestic and international border in the face of the Omicron variant. Travellers from NSW entering the state from 3pm this afternoon will need to clear a Covid-19 test on arrival. The state has also increased home isolation requirements for travellers from overseas from seven to 14 days.

A new COVID cluster has caused West Australia to upgrade its border advice for travellers from South Australia from “low risk” to “medium risk” allowing only a small number of travellers to enter including government officials, MPs and military personnel.

The United States is tightening travel rules to and within the U.S., requiring all in-bound international passengers to test for Covid within 24 hours of departure. It’s also extending its mask requirement on all domestic flights and public transportation through March 18.

Overseas arrivals have been barred from entering Tasmania as a result of concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Public Health published a statement outlining that anyone who has spent time overseas since November 14 cannot enter Tasmania unless approved as an essential traveller. The only exception is for New Zealand's south island. The Tasmanian Government released a statement saying the decision amounted to a temporary suspension of the current process for international arrivals seeking to come to Tasmania.

Switzerland has tightened COVID-19 restrictions. If you're entering Switzerland from a country with a COVID-19 variant of concern (including Australia), you must present a negative PCR test result and quarantine for 10 days. When entering Switzerland you must complete a Public Health Entry form prior to arrival (unless exempt).

Due to the Omicron Covid-19 variant, new restrictions on travel between South Africa and further Southern African countries, have been put in place. The newly added countries applying either additional testing requirements, quarantine on arrival, travel for restricted exempt travellers or complete bans on travel for the affected countries include; Kuwait, Norway, Fiji, South Korea, Indonesia, Slovenia, Finland, the Bahamas, Mongolia, Macau, Brunei, Lithuania, Peru, the Ukraine, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda, Ecuador, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Chile, St Vincent and The Grenadine, Aruba, and Uzbekistan.

Australia is now listed as a ‘high risk place’. If you're travelling from Australia, you can't enter Hong Kong unless you're a fully vaccinated Hong Kong resident. You also can't enter Hong Kong if you have been in Australia for more than 2 hours on the day of boarding or during the 21 days before that day. Fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents or a fully vaccinated Foreign Domestic Helpers with a valid employment visa can arrive into Hong Kong however they will be required to hotel quarantine for 21 days.

Canada is imposing new testing requirements on all air travellers coming from outside of Canada with the exception of the U.S., due to concerns over the Omicron variant. Air Travellers will be tested on arrival and self-isolate until they get their results.

Japan has suspended the entry of all non-resident foreign nationals. You are unable to enter Japan unless you're a Japanese citizen or permanent resident with a re-entry permit. This entry ban applies to travellers who have already obtained a visa in the past. The quarantine period for all international arrivals is 14-days, even if you're fully vaccinated.

In addition to country bans and restrictions in place in reaction to the emergence of the Omicron variant, as on 29 November, further countries have applied regulations of their own. The countries newly included are Zimbabwe, Gabon, Bangladesh, Panama, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Cambodia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Poland, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Reunion, Russia, Rwanda and Switzerland. Some of the restrictions would have immediate effect on travel from South Africa and other risk-designated countries, with complete bans or stricter entry regulations which may include mandatory quarantine. Travel regulations remain extremely fluid as government and airline regulations continue to be adjusted in response to the Omicron variant.

On the basis of medical advice provided by the Chief Medical Officer of Australia, Professor Paul Kelly, the National Security Committee has taken the necessary and temporary decision to pause the next step to safely reopen Australia to international skilled and student cohorts, as well as humanitarian, working holiday maker and provisional family visa holders from 1 December until 15 December. The reopening to travellers from Japan and the Republic of Korea will also be paused until 15 December. The temporary pause will ensure Australia can gather the information we need to better understand the Omicron variant, including the efficacy of the vaccine, the range of illness, including if it may generate more mild symptoms, and the level of transmission. Australia’s border is already closed to travellers except fully vaccinated Australian citizens, permanent residents and immediate family, as well as fully vaccinated green lane travellers from New Zealand and Singapore and limited exemptions. All arrivals to Australia also require a negative PCR test and to complete Australian traveller declaration forms detailing their vaccination status and confirming requirements to comply with state and territory public health requirements.

Israel has further relaxed Covid-19 health requirements for both returning citizens and foreign tourists looking to enter the country. From today, passengers arriving in the destination can present a negative antigen test from the previous 24 hours. This is instead of the previous requirement of a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours. Passengers landing at Ben Gurion airport and Israel’s other border entry points will still be required to undergo a PCR test at the airport and remain in isolation until the results are received (within 24 hours).

Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight from Doha to Almaty in Kazakhstan has landed at Almaty International Airport, marking the launch of the airline’s newest gateway in central Asia. Operated by an Airbus A320, flight QR0391 was welcomed with an opening ceremony attended by Qatar ambassador to Kazakhstan, Abdulaziz Sultan Al-Rumaihi. Also on hand were Qatar Airways senior vice president eastern regions, Marwan Koleilat; chairman of Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan, Talgat Lastayev; president of Almaty International Airport, Alp Er Tunga Ersoy, and a host of airport and government officials from Kazakhstan.

Various countries, as listed below, have issued new travel restrictions on traffic originating from Southern African countries, including South Africa, due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 (these may include but are not limited to quarantine upon arrival, additional testing, vaccination requirements or a complete travel ban). The affected countries currently are listed as the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Austria, Singapore, the Czech Republic, Mauritius, Seychelles, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Croatia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Belgium, France, Spain, Malta, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Guatemala, Cyprus, Canada, the US, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Egypt, India, Japan, the Maldives, Morocco, Qatar, Thailand, Pakistan, Israel, New Zealand, Angola. The situation is extremely fluid and changing constantly. Travel into a great number of the countries that imposed a travel ban or travel halt, is restricted to travel being allowed for citizens and permanent residents, with limited exemptions being allowed.

The government has reintroduced red list restrictions on arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Namibia with immediate effect. The move comes in response to the discovery of a new variant of Covid-19. Variant B.1.1.529 has been declared a “variant under investigation” by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Officials said the variant includes a large number of spike protein mutations as well as mutations in other parts of the viral genome.

Saudi Arabia will allow direct entry to travelers from all countries who have received one dose of COVID-19 vaccine starting from December 4, the Ministry of Interior said on Saturday. Travelers allowed entry would have to quarantine for three days. The ministry did not specify a particular vaccine as a requirement. The Kingdom suspended on Friday flights to and from South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini over concerns of the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. It allowed airports to operate at 100 percent capacity, cancelled the requirement of social distancing in public places, modes of transportation, restaurants, and cinemas, as well as lifting the requirement of wearing masks outdoors. The authorities also lifted the restrictions on the number of people at gatherings such as wedding halls and event venues.

One out of five destinations continue to have their borders completely closed as new surges of Covid-19 impact the restart of international tourism. The latest research shows that 98 per cent of all destinations still have some kind of travel restrictions in place. According to the UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, 46 destinations (21 per cent of all destinations worldwide) currently have their borders completely closed to tourists. Of these, 26 destinations have had their borders completely closed since at least the end of April last year. A further 55 (25 per cent of all global destinations) continue to have their borders partially closed to international tourism, and 112 destinations (52 per cent of all destinations) require international tourists to present a PCR or antigen test upon arrival. The research also shows how destinations are opening up to vaccinated international tourists: 85 destinations have eased restrictions for fully vaccinated international tourists, while 20 destinations have made a full Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for entering a destination for tourism purposes. However, just four destinations have so far lifted all Covid-19-related restrictions completely (Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Mexico).

Air Astana will resume flights from Almaty to New Delhi, the capital of India, on December 16th, with three services a week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft. Departure from Almaty on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays is scheduled for 07:50 and arrival in New Delhi at 11:10, with return flight at 12:20 and arrival in Almaty at 16:40. All times local, with a flight time of three hours and 50 minutes in each direction. Air Astana offers convenient connections for passengers travelling from Kyiv, Bishkek, Istanbul, Tbilisi and Baku.

Following President Ramaphosa's speech on the evening of 28 November and amidst developments surrounding the Omicron variant, South Africa will remain under alert level one. All international travellers arriving in South Africa must produce a negative PCR test, to be presented on arrival and not older than 72 hours from the date of departure from the country of origin, as well as a vaccination certificate. Masks must be worn for the duration of travel. A person entering the Republic must be subjected to screening on arrival at the point of entry, including the completion of a traveller health questionnaire. Some travel restrictions and travel bans have been placed on travel from South Africa and it is essential to check the entry requirements of the country you wish to travel to, inclusive of any transits, stop overs as well as the end destination.