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Two years after closing its borders to protect itself from the pandemic, New Zealand reopened its borders to tourists, foreign students and cruise ships on Monday, August 1. This represents a boost for the tourism and education sectors, which represent a significant part of the country’s GDP.
With our Wellington correspondent, Richard Tindiller
Wellington airport seemed like a party to welcome tourists, who are back on New Zealand soil. An announcement that arrives three months ahead of schedule. A real relief for this separated couple between the United States and New Zealand: “This is incredible! We have been waiting for this for a long time,” says the woman. Her husband continues: “It’s been two years of wondering when and if we would see each other again. We didn’t even know if it was going to happen. We started our relationship not knowing if we would see each other again,” she tells RFI.
Marine tourism professionals also applaud the announcement. Kevin O’Sullivan is the president of the New Zealand Cruise Association. For him, this reopening comes just in time. “The last time we saw a cruise ship in New Zealand was in March 2020. But the next one comes next week on August 12, so that’s very exciting. The losses are pretty big though. The industry usually has a value of between 300 and 400 million dollars a year. So it is a loss of about 800 million dollars for the New Zealand economy, “he stresses.
Public concern about Covid-19
Among the visitors there are tourists, but also foreign students, mostly Asian, who will be able to return to New Zealand universities. A lucrative income for the country, which represents more than three billion euros a year.
Although the reopening of the borders was eagerly awaited, the population remains concerned about contamination during the southern winter. In July, more than 400 people died from Covid-19. A record since the start of the pandemic.
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