Coronavirus

The recovery can start early 2022 if the govt can complete its vaccination programme by Xmas, says Adrian Littlewood.

A decision is expected later today on whether to extend Wellington’s alert level 2 restrictions.

TIA boss says the Wellington Covid case serves as a reminder that Covid-19 is still very present.

Hospitality New Zealand is hopeful that Wellington’s alert level 2 restrictions will be lifted on Sunday.

The shift at 6pm on Wednesday was made “out of an abundance of caution,” says Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins.

Ardern’s comments come as more countries require vaccination passports for international travellers.

If pause ended, flight from Perth will leave for NZ tonight.

Testing shows the vaccinated cleaner contracted the UK variant in a rare ‘breakthrough’ infection.

The two sectors most drastically affected by last year’s national Covid-19 alert level lockdown were accommodation and food, and arts and recreation, says Stats NZ.

Genomic testing has connected the case at the Grand Millennium Hotel to a recent returnee.

PM Jacinda Ardern announced the move early today, Friday 12 March.

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern will announce at 11.30am today whether Auckland will move down from its Covid-19 alert level 2 status.

The Covid-19 vaccination roll-out started on 20 February has reached its two week mark.

The rest of New Zealand has moved to Covid-19 alert level 1.

The Government will announce at 4pm today whether alert level 3 restrictions in Auckland and alert level 2 in the rest of New Zealand will be lifted on Sunday. 

Businesses affected by the latest rise in Covid-19 alert levels can apply for the government’s reactivated wage subsidy from today, Thursday 4 March.

The third shipment of Pfizer’s Covid vaccines has arrived in NZ and border worker families and household contacts are next in line to be vaccinated next week.

Tourism leaders want to know how the Govt is planning to re-open the country’s borders.

Event organisers up and down the country have been forced to cancel, postpone or scramble to make changes.

Tourism businesses like TIME Unlimited had a rare busy week ahead leading up to the America’s Cup finals.

For the second year in a row, one of the city’s flagship events is pulled because of Covid.

The rest of New Zealand has shifted to Covid-19 alert level 2 following the latest community cases.

New mitigation measures at the Pullman Auckland have been introduced but the cause of three infections there is still unknown.

Tourism businesses in the region say it will take time for bookings to return.

The Government will review Auckland’s Covid-19 alert level 2 today with a decision to be announced by prime minister Jacinda Ardern at 3pm.

Final preparations are underway for phase 1 of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, says Covid response minister Chris Hipkins.

Parliament has passed a new Resurgence Support Payment available to eligible businesses affected by Auckland’s latest Covid-19 lockdown and level 2.

The rest of New Zealand has shifted to Covid-19 alert level 1.

Napier’s Art Deco Festival has been cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 uncertainty.

Regional operators are being cut-off by Auckland as a visitor source and a transit point for those further afield.

Events up and down the country have been forced to cancel or impose restrictions after the latest Covid-19 community cases at Auckland.

Singapore Airlines has delivered the first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to New Zealand.

Businesses inside Auckland’s Covid-19 alert level 3 boundary can register online for travel documents.

Tourism businesses suffer mass cancellations again after Auckland shifts back to Covid-19 alert level 3.

Australia has also suspended quarantine-free travel from NZ until at least midnight Wednesday.

The rest of NZ shifts to level 2 after three Auckland cases, two of whom recently visited Taranaki attractions.

The first priority will be the country’s 12,000 border workers, says Jacinda Ardern.

Bleak post-summer prospects for Queenstown’s tourism sector have led to one of the resort’s long-standing canyoning operators temporarily shutting up shop.

The country’s border workers, including airline and managed isolation and quarantine hotel staff, will be the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, says the Government.

The MIQ facility will be gradually emptied while investigators try to uncover how guests are catching Covid.

DOC will expand the use of Covid-19 contact tracing QR codes after making them visible at all visitor centres and at serviced campsites.

Northland Inc’s tourism team says it will help “turn around the message” for operators following the new Covid case.

The ventilation systems of managed isolation hotels have come under the spotlight.

The Northland attraction closes for most of the week following a visit by a Covid-19 case.

Tourist operations The Kauri Museum and White Rock Gallery are among the 31 businesses visited.

The hard-hit industry breathes a collective sigh of relief over Auckland’s impending return to alert level 1.

The Tourism Futures Taskforce not presenting its final report until April next year is a “disgrace”, says Aroha New Zealand Tours.

Three family members who have tested positive for Covid-19 visited two attractions over the weekend.

The move means gatherings of up to 100 will be allowed in the country’s largest city.

The time was now to evaluate how to turn communities into supporters, rather than critics, of tourism.