New Zealand has fully reopened its borders for the first time since March 2020. Urgent labor needs and pressure from the tourism industry have accelerated the reopening of the island nation.
The country, which has had a very strict corona policy since the start of the pandemic, has been reopening since February. Since May, New Zealand has been freely accessible to travelers from about sixty countries, including the Netherlands.
Since Monday, people who need a visa, including tourists and students, can also travel to the island state again. Cruise ships and pleasure yachts can also dock again. However, a corona vaccination is mandatory and people must test themselves for the virus on arrival. A mandatory stay in a quarantine hotel is no longer necessary.
International tourism is very important to New Zealand’s economy. The island state saw its income from tourism dwindle from around 10 billion euros to barely 1 billion last year. “This is great news for the tourism industry and the economy as spring and summer approach,” Tourism Secretary Stuart Nash said on Facebook.