Borders

Biosecurity New Zealand has boosted its quarantine and border staff numbers, with 23 new officers and four detector dog handlers to manage the peak international visitor season.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa says the government’s effort to explore a more seamless travel experience between New Zealand and Australia could lead to benefits for business and leisure travel.

Biosecurity New Zealand says the number of border seizures it is making has climbed sharply in the aftermath of the pandemic and as events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup attracts visitors.

The government has decided to phase in its new digital travel declarations system across the country’s international airports, as opposed to implementing it all at once as originally planned.

A forgotten apple in a traveller’s bag could net them a $400 fine – and for close to 8,000 travellers, that is exactly what happened, according to Biosecurity New Zealand.

Visitors to New Zealand who provide false or no arrival information could face new penalties as part of changes to the Customs and Excise (Arrival Information) Amendment Bill.

Biosecurity New Zealand says it is working with Auckland Airport to address mishandled and unaccompanied baggage issues affecting travellers this summer and is also collaborating with cruise to ensure ships arrive with clean hulls.

Biosecurity New Zealand is urging arriving travellers to do their bit to ensure unwanted pests and diseases do not enter New Zealand over the busy summer period.

Frequent business visitors and officials and diplomats travelling to New Zealand from Pacific Island Forum Countries and Kiribati will receive improved visa conditions when travelling to New Zealand.

The Royal Commission will start considering evidence in February and conclude in mid-2024, with a report to follow.

Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri says the online data collection will allow visitors to move seamlessly through the arrivals process.

The government will start piloting a revamped online New Zealand Traveller Declaration in early 2023, with a view to it replacing the paper arrival card by June next year.

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says there is strong visitor demand for NZ.

Visitors heading to New Zealand can now skip the hassle of having a pre-departure Covid-19 test.

International passengers, excluding transits, reached 281,774, a 108.7% increase from May 2021.

Border workers will no longer need to be tested for Covid-19 from 11:59pm on Thursday 30 June.

Flight Centre wants to see the full opening of the border brought forward from 31 July and questions why there is a delay “considering the state of the economy”.

The removal of the requirement at midnight Monday arrives in time for the start of the southern ski season.

National Party Covid-19 response spokesperson Chris Bishop is calling on the government to drop pre-departure testing requirements for incoming visitors “right now”.

The US is no longer requiring visitors travelling by air to undertake pre-departure testing for Covid-19, leaving NZ somewhat lagging behind as a country largely open for tourism with the restriction in place.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins has been travelling overseas to promote New Zealand as an attractive study destination for international students.

Daily arrivals to New Zealand exceeded 6,000 on a number of days in May 2022 – the first time that level has been reached since the borders closed in March 2020.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins will travel to the United States and South America from late May to early June as part of a mission to promote New Zealand as a destination for international students.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick says New Zealand’s full border reopening on 31 July is great news for the city’s tourism and hospitality operators.

The tourism, hospitality, events, and aviation industries welcome the new border date and moves to make hiring migrant workers easier.

After two years of hardship, hundreds of Kiwi ship suppliers and tourism operators can start rebuilding their businesses, says NZCA.

Pre-departure testing is also expected to be scrapped before the end of July.

Jacinda Ardern will announce tomorrow the border re-opening date for visitors from countries requiring visas, according to a media report.

But domestic numbers took a hit as the NZ’s Omicron wave put a lid on demand.

New Zealand has some advantages once the Chinese government allows its citizens to travel for leisure again.

The easing of the border at 11.59pm on Sunday 1 May allowed vaccinated visitors from around 60 visa waiver countries to enter without needing to isolate.

BusinessNZ has welcomed the government’s move to enable unvaccinated residence class visa holders to enter New Zealand from 6 May.

The peak season is as strong a drawcard as ever with bookings painting a positive picture.

PM Jacinda Ardern says she does not believe pre-departure Covid testing is preventing anyone from visiting NZ.

The new campaign is released globally as NZ welcomes back travellers from around 60 visa waiver countries.

ACT party leader David Seymour is calling on the government to explain why it has chosen to stagger the border reopening.

It’s not just VFR on the way with more than 6000 working holiday visa applications made and 5000 students allowed.

Industry groups are calling on the government to scrap the requirement for travellers to take a pre-departure test before flying to New Zealand.

The country’s main gateway will re-open to visa waiver countries on Monday, allowing in visitors from 88% of its pre-Covid markets.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have acknowledged the need to resume and strengthen “people-to-people” links between New Zealand and Japan.

The government is yet to announce a date for cruise visits to start again despite the air border to Australia re-opening last week.

However, it is still far short of the 20,580 recorded for pre-Covid 13 April 2019.

Thousands of visitors from Australia will arrive today, marking the restart of isolation-free trans-Tasman travel.

Auckland’s Sky Tower will light up in green and gold on Wednesday 13 April to celebrate the return of Australian travellers to New Zealand.

The PM says the govt is yet receive advice on reopening NZ’s maritime border.

Lockdowns in China and questions around international tourism demand are prompting businesses in the Mackenzie to set pragmatic goals for the future.

The association predicts an earlier recovery in visitor arrivals thanks to the latest border re-opening dates.

The re-opening of New Zealand’s borders could make it harder for employers to fill critical worker shortages as Kiwis head overseas.

Tourism businesses in Kaikōura have a ‘glimmer of hope’ after a tough two years, soon to be bolstered by international visitors and a new hotel.

NZ Customs says the system will eventually make “processing and assessing travellers’ information faster and easier”.