The Government’s move to bring forward the reopening date to international tourists is overdue but welcome news, National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson Chris Bishop and Tourism spokesperson Todd McClay say.

“It’s pretty simple – the risk isn’t at the border anymore and allowing fully-vaccinated travellers to come to New Zealand will help us properly reconnect with the world after two years of isolation,” Mr Bishop says.

“Airports, airlines and the tourism sector have been crying out for a reopening date for weeks now. It’s good that the Government has finally provided some clarity so that people can plan ahead and be ready for reopening day.”

“The day when the first Australian tourists walk off the plane into New Zealand will be a happy one for our struggling tourism industry, likewise when people from visa-waiver countries start to arrive a couple of weeks later,” Mr McClay says.

“Pre-Covid, tourism was our largest export earner, employing more than 300,000 people. It can be a thriving industry once again and today’s steps are the first towards making that happen.

“However, today’s border announcement was silent on tourists from countries who require a visa to travel to New Zealand. Our ability to recover our tourism market relies heavily on access to tourists from countries who require visas to travel and under the current strategy, these countries are unable to apply for visas until October. 

“The Prime Minister says the only reason for not allowing these tourists to come to New Zealand now is Immigration New Zealand’s inability to process visitor visas because of their lack of resources. This is a new level of government incompetence – the Government has had two years to get ready for this. Yet again Kris Faafoi has dropped the ball.

“New Zealand has been functionally isolated from the rest of the world for two years, and many people in New Zealand have endured enormous pain and hardship as a result.

“MIQ made sense at the start of the pandemic. It doesn’t anymore. From April 12 2022, we start to reconnect to the world.”