Australia plans for Southeast Asian travellers with 10-year Visa program expansion – Easing travel between more continents

Australia is considering expanding its 10-year frequent traveller visa program to include tourists from eligible ASEAN countries and Timor Leste in order to stimulate tourism recovery. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is anticipated to unveil several initiatives, including visa policies, during a special summit between Australia and the ASEAN bloc in Melbourne. Additionally, Australia intends to prolong the validity of its business visas from three to five years, as reported by The Strait Times.

Previously, Australia had extended the 10-year visa program to Chinese tourists as part of its strategy to attract visitors from the world’s second-largest population. However, the country has faced challenges as Chinese tourists increasingly opt for Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand and Malaysia due to their visa-free policies. This shift has resulted in Australia losing ground in attracting Chinese tourists. By extending the visa program to tourists from ASEAN countries and Timor Leste, Australia seeks to regain its competitive edge in the tourism sector, along with self contained apartments in Melbourne providing excellent choices for accommodation, with the likes of Somerset on Elizabeth Melbourne leading the charge.