A New Timeline Reckons We Could Be Travelling to New Zealand As Early As July
If the idea of no international travel was getting you down, I have some potentially good news for you. A new draft timeline released by the Australian Chamber Of Commerce’s Tourism Restart Taskforce (yes, it’s a mouthful) pushes for travel between Australia and New Zealand to start as early as July this year.
Before we all get too excited, let me just be clear that these dates are in no way definite — so probably don’t start booking anything just yet. There’s also not anything to book flight-wise, as no airlines have set new routes.
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However, it is the current recommendation given by this special taskforce — who meets once a week to talk about the business of reopening Australia’s tourism — to the ACT government. It was also approved by Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham at on May 22 when the taskforce last met.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, also told reporters on Wednesday that both countries are working towards a scheme to open up travel between us “as quickly we can”. She also suggested a timeline that was closer to September, so I guess we’l have to wait and see.
This ‘Trans-Tasman bubble’ plan also includes travel to the Pacific, so hello island holiday (potentially). It would mean that we get to skip the 14-day quarantine too, making travel much more achievable.
Luckily for us, if this plan goes ahead, our neighbourino’s country is a haven of funky cities and stunning wilderness. According to Booking.com, New Zealand makes the top 10 of countries most wish-listed by it’s users.
Honestly no wonder: snow fields, volcanoes and mountains, Hobbiton. What’s not to love? They also have natural ‘hot beaches’. Like, you legit dig into the sand and it fills with warm thermal water — actually amazing.
Excuse me while I start compiling my New Zealand bucket list from this list of 100 things to do there, just so I’m ready.
(Lead Image: Pexels / Tyler Lastovich)
