Britons hoping to visit New Zealand this year look likely to be disappointed after the country’s prime minister warned it will be “a long time” until borders are reopened to international travellers.
The country of five million has registered just 19 deaths and fewer than 1,500 cases of coronavirus, but Jacinda Ardern has warned it “must remain vigilant if we are to keep it that way”.
Several barriers stand between British travellers and a trip to New Zealand. The Foreign Office needs to lift its warning against all but essential travel, New Zealand needs to open its borders to Britons, and airlines need to offer services that meet social distancing guidelines. Given Ardern’s comments, along with the fact that travel between the UK and New Zealand is logistally awkward, involving at least two long flights, the chances of a 2020 holiday look increasingly remote.
The country is, however, considering how to open its borders to its geographical neighbour.
Arden made her comments following a meeting of Australia’s cabinet, which she joined via video link to discuss the feasibility of a safe travel zone, or ‘bubble’, between the two nations. It was the first time a New Zealand leader had attended such a meeting since the Second World War.
The ‘trans-Tasman bubble’ would remove the need for travellers to enter quarantine on arrival, a plan Ardern described as having “huge advantages” to both.
Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters this afternoon the ‘bubble’ is an important “part of the road back”, but both leaders stressed nothing would happen immediately.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaking today
Credit: GETTY
Any move to open the international border would need to take into account state and territory movement restrictions in Australia, he added.
Australia and New Zealand closed their borders to foreign tourists in March as part of a stringent response to the spread of Covid-19, and this has severely impacted tourism in both nations.
Around six per cent of New Zealand’s GDP comes from tourism; the industry employees almost 230,000 people – around 10 per cent of the workforce – and generates NZ$17.2 billion (£8.3 billion) a year.
Britons make up one of the largest numbers of overseas visitors to the country, with more 200,000 travelling there annually.
Auckland, the most populous urban area in New Zealand
Credit: getty
The news will be a blow for Telegraph Travel readers, who have chosen New Zealand as their favourite country on Earth in every Telegraph Travel Awards since 2012.
Source link : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/oceania/new-zealand/articles/coronavirus-new-zealand-borders-stay-shut-until-next-year/
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Publish date : 2020-05-05 03:00:00
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