"If I come to this country, am I going to be trapped?" - Tourists reluctant to visit Australia following Novak Djokovic's deportation saga

Novak Djokovic's Australian Open ordeal was widely covered in international media, and the country Down Under is now facing repercussions for the very public deportation.

The Serbian’s unvaccinated status saw his Australian visa revoked despite him being cleared to enter the country after providing the necessary documents and proof of exemption. He was slapped with a three-year visa ban, which was open for reconsideration in special cases.

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However, his entire ordeal, which had him living in a detention center, has created fear among international tourists as per Brenton Cox, MD at the Adelaide Airport.

"What we have seen is that it’s the Aussies who are getting out and seeing the world – but people aren’t coming here," he was reported as saying as per Express.

Cox further elaborated on the dramatic events that transpired in January 2022 and how they negatively impacted the decisions of international tourists.

"I just remember looking at the scenes when Djokovic was being booted out of the Australian Open. And at that moment, you went, 'Wow, it’s a lot of eyeballs on this,'" he said, adding, "And there are a lot of people who – similar to the state border risk – thought, 'Well, if I come to this country, am I going to be trapped? Or am I going to be stuck in a detention center?'"

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The MD suggested that most people traveling to Australia are currently entering the country for work purposes or to meet their loved ones, rather than pure tourists visiting and exploring the country.

"Right now, probably most of the people coming from overseas are doing so to visit friends and relatives, or for essential business. The big free, independent travelers haven’t quite made their way here yet," he said.