Australia is stepping up efforts to boost tourism and calling on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to open up the long-awaited trans-Tasman travel bubble.
“If the New Zealand government doesn’t wish Australians to visit New Zealand and spend money in Queenstown or Wellington, or other parts of a country, that’s a matter for them, it has always been a matter for them.
“I’m happy for them to open it up as soon as the Prime Minister and her government would like to do that,” he said.
New Zealand Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says they can not yet determine when the travel bubble will be in place.
“The timing around the travel bubble is a dynamic thing and I cannot guarantee that it will be open by the end of the month,” Hipkins said.
Meanwhile, the Australian Federal government is offering 800,000 half-price domestic airfares as part of a billion-dollar local tourism boost. Available from 1 April until 31 July, Australians will be able to fly to 13 key regions to encourage local tourism.
Morrison says the one-way quarantine free travel has already been benefitting the Australian economy.
“If Australians can’t go to Queenstown, I’m hoping they can go to Cairns.”
National Party leader Judith Collins is pushing the government to open the bubble, citing Tourism New Zealand estimation that trans-Tasman travel along with domestic tourism could boost tourism spend to 70 per cent of pre-covid levels.