People often run into trouble while travelling overseas. Australian consulates around the world keep account of the reasons for Australians getting into trouble abroad. In early November 2022, Smartraveller published the 2021-22 Australian Consular State of Play report.
Smartraveller is the travel advice website provided by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The 2021-22 Australian Consular State of Play is a snapshot of consular services and crisis support provided to Australians, permanent residents, visa holders, and their families overseas during the past financial year from July 2021 to June 2022.
Half of Australia’s population (51%) has a passport. In 2021-2022, nearly 1.5 million passports were issued, which was an increase of 147% from 2020-21.
From July 2021 to June 2022, 2.37 million Australians travelled overseas. The top age group was the 35-44 year-olds, with about 340,000 travellers.
Of the 2.37 million, the main reason for travelling overseas was to visit relatives and friends – answered by 766,00 respondents.
Australian consulates supported a total of 34,710 cases, with the Consular Emergency Centre taking 66,638 phone calls from Australians abroad seeking help.
The top countries where Australians ran into trouble were: 1) Thailand, 2) The Philippines, 3) America, 4) Indonesia, 5) India, 6) China, 7) Vietnam, and 8) Japan.
The trouble they sought help for included: 1) welfare (down by 47% from 2020-21, 2) death (up by 14% from 2020-21), 3) illness and hospitalisation (up by 14%), 4) arrest (down by 4%), and 5) imprisonment (down by 5%).
Tips from consular officials around the world include: 1) if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel, 2) keep your passport safe at all times, 3) if you wouldn’t do it in Australia, don’t do it overseas, 4) look after your mental health and be mindful of your medical condition, and 5) ensure that your family are aware of your location and keep in regular contact with them.
MARTINA NICOLLS
SUBSCRIBE TO MARTINA NICOLLS FOR NEWS AND UPDATES
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international human rights-based consultant in education, healing and wellbeing, peace and stabilization, foreign aid audits and evaluations, and the author of: The Paris Residences of James Joyce (2020), Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Comments
Post a Comment