The Government needs to bring forward isolation-free
travel for vaccinated and tested visitors before more
tourism businesses close, National’s Tourism spokesperson
Todd McClay says.
“Forward bookings for tourism are
at record lows. With the Australian school holidays about to
begin, and the ski season only months away, the need for a
clear announcement of isolation-free travel for visitors has
become urgent.
“The current impractical rules mean
that Australian visitors won’t be able to travel here
until July.
“With more than 95 per cent of Kiwis
vaccinated, tourism towns need life to go back to normal.
They need paying visitors to spend money in their shops and
restaurants. They need paying holiday-makers filling their
hotels and motels, not self-isolation guests.
“The
Government needs to explain to small tourism businesses
faced with the decision of closing their doors why a family
from Queensland who are tested and double vaccinated are a
higher risk in Rotorua or Queenstown than a Kiwi family
who’ve popped across to the Gold Coast for the
weekend.
“The Government is harming the tourism
sector through inaction. The iconic Rainbow Springs in
Rotorua has just announced permanent closure due to no
visitors. An announcement by the Government earlier might
have allowed them to keep their doors
open.
“Pre-COVID, tourism was our largest export
earner, employing more than 300,000 people. Now, Westpac are
forecasting that our international tourism recovery will be
further delayed, saying that ‘NZ’s current
self-isolation border requirements will be too prohibitive
for potential travellers’.
“Bringing forward
isolation-free travel to New Zealand would mean that our
visitor economy could finally start to
rebuild.
“Without a clear announcement, airlines
cannot plan flights and holiday-makers can’t book
holidays. The tourism sector needs certainty from the
Government so they can survive.
“The Government
needs to allow double vaccinated tourists and businesspeople
isolation-free travel to New Zealand in time for the
Australian school holidays. Every day they continue to sit
on their hands, more tourism businesses will
close.”
© Scoop Media
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