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Australia persuades US to tone down travel advice over bushfires
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison has successfully convinced the US to amend their recently upgraded travel warning.
Morrison, a former boss of Tourism Australia, spoke to US officials to tone down language on the advisory.
The warning’s language has now been amended from ‘exercise increased caution’ in Australia to ‘exercise normal precautions.’
"I had the opportunity to raise this at very senior levels of the Administration and I particularly thank the US Administration. That’s one that particularly needed my intervention and I was very happy to do that," Morrison told reporters in Canberra.
"That will be a welcome encouragement to our tourist industry, not just in the bushfire-affected areas because these things affect the tourist industry more broadly."
Morrison argued the US advisory was too broad.
He also confirmed the Tour Down Under cycling event will go ahead in South Australia as planned.
"That’s a strong message to the world that Australia’s tourist industry is very much open for business," he said.
While the wording of the US advisory has been toned down somewhat, it is still at a Level 2 for US travellers planning trips to affected areas.
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