New Zealand is bringing forward the opening of its international borders to some travelers after more than two years of Covid-19 isolation, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying an influx of tourists will boost the nation’s economy.
The change means the end of some of the toughest border controls in the world during the COVID pandemic, imposed as the government tried to keep the coronavirus out, comes months ahead of the previous schedule.
New Zealand’s policies helped keep infections and deaths low. But with the Omicron variant now rampant, criticism has grown as businesses, particularly tourism, and agricultural sectors see little value in staying shut off from the world.
Ardern told reporters on Wednesday that vaccinated travelers from Australia, New Zealand’s biggest source of tourists, can enter without the need to quarantine from April 12 rather than July as previously planned.
Tourists from visa-waiver countries including the United States, Britain, and Singapore will now be able to visit from May 1.
“Closing our border was one of the first actions we took to stop Covid-19, over two years ago, and its reopening will spur our economic recovery throughout the remainder of the year,” she said.
The changes mean Australians will be able to travel to New Zealand in time for the Easter school holidays next month.
All visitors must be vaccinated and provide negative Covid tests, but would not have to quarantine on arrival. The border is not scheduled to fully reopen until October to all travelers, but Ardern said this could also yet be brought forward.
The news boosted airline and travel stocks in Australia and New Zealand, with Air New Zealand up 2.2%, Qantas Airways rising 2.5%, and Auckland Airport gaining 1.1% in afternoon trading.
Foreigners were previously banned outright from entering, and until the last month, citizens looking to return had to either make emergency requests to the government or secure a spot in state quarantine facilities.
Prior to border closures, tourism directly contributed around 5.5% of GDP, or around NZ$41 billion ($28 billion). A further NZ$11 billion was indirectly generated by the sector.
