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New Zealand
AsiaAustralasia

Coronavirus: New Zealand reopens, welcomes back tourists – but not from India or China

  • New Zealand reopened on Monday to about 60 visa-waiver countries, including Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. Tourists from elsewhere are still barred from entry
  • More than 90,000 people booked flights to New Zealand in the seven weeks since the reopening was announced, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said

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A passenger who took a flight from Los Angeles embraces a family member after arriving at Auckland International Airport on Monday. Photo: Jed Bradley/New Zealand Herald via AP
Associated Pressin Wellington
New Zealand welcomed tourists from the US, Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years on Monday after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions.
The country has long been renowned for its breathtaking scenery and adventure tourism offerings such as bungee jumping and skiing. Before the spread of Covid-19, more than 3 million tourists visited each year, accounting for 20 per cent of New Zealand’s foreign income and more than 5 per cent of the overall economy.

But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world’s toughest border restrictions.

Chinese tourists at Lake Tekapo, in the South Island of New Zealand. File photo: SCMP / Francine Chen
Chinese tourists at Lake Tekapo, in the South Island of New Zealand. File photo: SCMP / Francine Chen

The border rules remained in place as the government at first pursued an elimination strategy and then tried to tightly control the spread of the virus. The spread of Omicron and vaccinations of more than 80 per cent of New Zealand’s 5 million population prompted the gradual easing of restrictions.

New Zealand reopened to tourists from Australia three weeks ago and on Monday to about 60 visa-waiver countries, including Singapore, Malaysia and much of Europe. Most tourists from India, China and other non-waiver countries are still not allowed to enter.
A sunny day on the shore of Lake Wanaka in the South Island. International tourism to New Zealand stopped altogether in early 2020 amid the pandemic. Photo: Dreamstime/TNS
A sunny day on the shore of Lake Wanaka in the South Island. International tourism to New Zealand stopped altogether in early 2020 amid the pandemic. Photo: Dreamstime/TNS

Tourists will need to be vaccinated and to test themselves for the virus before and after arriving.

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