Singapore says discussing possible air travel bubble with Australia

SINGAPORE - Singapore and Australia are discussing the possibility of an air travel bubble that would allow residents to travel between the two countries without the need for quarantine, the city-state’s foreign ministry said on Sunday.

Singapore is discussing with Australia the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel with priority for students and business travellers, the ministry said in a statement.

The Australian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Singapore, an Asian transportation hub, is keen to revive its travel and tourism industry. After bringing its Covid-19 infections under control, it has been unilaterally easing quarantine requirements for travellers from Australia and a handful of other countries, such as New Zealand and China.

A planned Singapore-Hong Kong air-travel bubble, which had been set to begin last November, has stalled after Hong Kong saw a resurgence of Covid-19 infections.

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