New Zealand welcomes spine tourists while pandemic rules eased

New Zealand welcomes spine tourists while pandemic rules eased

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand welcomed tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan accompanied by every one one other accompanied by additional than 50 other countries for the earliest hour dated inside additional than place of set of two years Monday following dropping most of its residual pandemic border restrictions.

The country has lengthy been renowned for its breathtaking scenery accompanied by every one one other accompanied by adventure tourism offerings such while bungy jumping accompanied by every one one other accompanied by skiing. Before the spread of COVID-19, additional than 3 million tourists visited every one one year, accounting for 20% of New Zealand's overseas income accompanied by every one one other accompanied by additional than 5% of the all-inclusive economy.

But international tourism stopped completely inside early 2020 following New Zealand imposed some of the world's toughest border restrictions.

The border rules remained inside place while the management at earliest pursued an elimination lord scheme accompanied by every one one other accompanied by at that hour dated tried to tightly jurisdiction the spread of the virus. The spread of omicron accompanied by every one one other accompanied by vaccinations of additional than 80% of New Zealand's 5 million inhabitants prompted the gradual easing of restrictions.

New Zealand reopened to tourists from Australia trio weeks ago accompanied by every one one other accompanied by on Monday to concerning 60 visa-waiver countries, including a a large amount of of Europe. Most tourists from India, China accompanied by every one one other accompanied by other non-waiver countries are still not allowed to enter.

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Tourists will need to exist vaccinated accompanied by every one one other accompanied by to trial themselves for the virus earlier to accompanied by every one one other accompanied by following arriving.

"Today is a day to celebrate, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by is a large little while inside our reconnection accompanied by the world," said Tourism Minister Stuart Nash.

At Auckland Airport, flights bringing inside tourists began landing from early inside the morning, coming inside unswerving from places including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Singapore.

The border reopening will assist boost tourism ahead of New Zealand's upcoming ski season. But the real trial of how a a large amount of the tourism manufacturing rebounds will go nearer inside December, when the summit summer hour dated begins inside the Southern Hemisphere nation.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said additional than 90,000 people had booked flights to New Zealand inside the septet weeks since the reopening was announced accompanied by every one one other accompanied by 21 international flights were scheduled to land Monday inside Auckland.

"Our tourism manufacturing have felt the effects of the worldwide pandemic acutely, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by are employed firm to prepare," she said.

Ardern said there were no indeed indeed immediate plans to ease virus difficult accompanied by every one one other accompanied by vaccination requirements for tourists.

New Zealand welcomes spine tourists while pandemic rules eased