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| New Zealand fully reopens borders after long pandemic closure | New Zealand fully reopens borders after long pandemic closure |
| (7 months later) | |
| Tourism in New Zealand was hit hard when the country's borders shut in March 2020 | Tourism in New Zealand was hit hard when the country's borders shut in March 2020 |
| New Zealand's borders are fully open for the first time since March 2020, when they shut in an effort to keep out Covid-19. | New Zealand's borders are fully open for the first time since March 2020, when they shut in an effort to keep out Covid-19. |
| Immigration authorities will now begin accepting visitors with visas and those on student visas again. | Immigration authorities will now begin accepting visitors with visas and those on student visas again. |
| Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called it an "enormous moment", adding it was part of a "cautious process". | Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern called it an "enormous moment", adding it was part of a "cautious process". |
| Most visitors will still need to be fully vaccinated, but there are no quarantine requirements. | Most visitors will still need to be fully vaccinated, but there are no quarantine requirements. |
| The country's maritime border has also reopened, with cruise ships and foreign recreational yachts now allowed to dock. | The country's maritime border has also reopened, with cruise ships and foreign recreational yachts now allowed to dock. |
| New Zealand first announced a phased reopening plan in February. It allowed vaccinated citizens to return from Australia that month, and those coming from elsewhere to return in March. | New Zealand first announced a phased reopening plan in February. It allowed vaccinated citizens to return from Australia that month, and those coming from elsewhere to return in March. |
| In May, it started welcoming tourists from more than 50 countries on a visa-waiver list. | In May, it started welcoming tourists from more than 50 countries on a visa-waiver list. |
| "We, alongside the rest of the world, continue to manage a very live global pandemic, while keeping our people safe," said Ms Ardern in a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland on Monday. | "We, alongside the rest of the world, continue to manage a very live global pandemic, while keeping our people safe," said Ms Ardern in a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland on Monday. |
| "But keeping people safe extends to incomes and wellbeing too." | "But keeping people safe extends to incomes and wellbeing too." |
| How New Zealand went 'hard and early' to beat Covid-19 | How New Zealand went 'hard and early' to beat Covid-19 |
| New Zealand unveils border reopening plan | New Zealand unveils border reopening plan |
| Tourism was one of the industries hardest hit by New Zealand's tough Covid measures. | Tourism was one of the industries hardest hit by New Zealand's tough Covid measures. |
| In the year ending March 2021, the industry's contribution to the GDP dropped to 2.9%, from 5.5% the year before. | In the year ending March 2021, the industry's contribution to the GDP dropped to 2.9%, from 5.5% the year before. |
| International tourism took an especially big hit, plunging 91.5% - or NZ$16.2bn ($10.2bn; £8.4bn) - to NZ$1.5bn, according to official data. | International tourism took an especially big hit, plunging 91.5% - or NZ$16.2bn ($10.2bn; £8.4bn) - to NZ$1.5bn, according to official data. |
| The number of people directly employed in tourism also fell by over 72,000 during this period. | The number of people directly employed in tourism also fell by over 72,000 during this period. |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| Jacinda Ardern: 'We cannot keep NZ border restrictions forever' | Jacinda Ardern: 'We cannot keep NZ border restrictions forever' |
| Jacinda Ardern: 'We cannot keep NZ border restrictions forever' | Jacinda Ardern: 'We cannot keep NZ border restrictions forever' |
| Related Topics | |
| Coronavirus lockdown measures | |
| Jacinda Ardern | |
| Coronavirus pandemic | |
| New Zealand |