Forget a campaign, Tom Elliott says it’s something else that will get tourists back to Australia

Tom Elliott has brushed off suggestions Australia needs a new “expensive marketing campaign” to get international tourists back to Australia once borders re-open on February 21.

What we need, he says, is a consistent set of rules when it comes to COVID-19 and vaccination requirements.

“We had a very good tourism industry until COVID hit,” the 3AW Drive host said on Tuesday.

“We just need the rules sorted out.

“We’ve got to have consistent rules.

“We have one entire state – a third of Australia – shut off from not just the world, but the rest of Australia.

“People don’t want to come to Victoria because they fear a state government that over the last two years imposed six separate lockdowns.

“I mean, people in this state don’t want to organise a birthday party because they’re worried the government could change the rules at any moment and suddenly we’re thrust into another lockdown – I know the government says they won’t do it, but they’ve done it in the past.

“If you’re an international visitor and you face the prospect of being stuck in quarantine because you don’t have the right vaccination certificate, well you just won’t come.

“Look at what happened to Novak Djokovic.

“He was detained at the airport for 24 hours, then was allowed into Melbourne, then practiced tennis for three days, then was deported.

“I can tell you, potential tourists look at that and say ‘I’m not going there’ – all we need is consistent rules.”

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