As of early July, New Zealand’s border remains closed to most travellers. Entry is strictly controlled, and everyone arriving into the country will be tested for COVID-19 and required to quarantine or isolate themselves for a 14-day period. Only New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and residents with valid travel conditions, can travel to New Zealand without pre-approval from Immigration New Zealand.
And while there has been a lot of talk of a ‘trans-Tasman bubble’ of quarantine-free travel between the country, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, opening up by September, there are no firm plans in place at present. Unfortunately, that means that many Australians have had to cancel their New Zealand holiday plans, and vice versa.
So what does this mean for those that want to visit New Zealand? And what does the Trans-Tasman Bubble mean for your upcoming travel plans? We’ve broken it down for you below...
There’s no word on when New Zealand will open up to the rest of the world yet, but it’s rumoured that the Trans-Tasman Bubble could be opened as early as September. However, the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has warned that there are no specific dates set in stone.
“We haven’t put an arbitrary timeline on it because that simply comes down to a judgment that does rely on daily data,” she told the press recently. “This will be two-way decision making with anyone with whom we’re opening our borders up with.”
With an increase of cases in Victoria, Australia recently, the (rumoured) September opening date could be pushed even further back. But, Ardern has confirmed the bubble is still “on the horizon” despite the recent spike.
The Trans-Tasman Bubble refers to an exclusive travel “corridor” which would be opened up between New Zealand and Australia, and possibly the Pacific Islands. Both the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison have been consistently addressing plans to open up their respective borders to residents of the two nations, to bring much needed relief to their struggling tourism industries.
“A trans-Tasman Covid-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends,” the Prime Ministers said in a joint statement issued on May 5th.
“We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative. Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so it’s essential any such travel zone is safe. Relaxing travel restrictions at an appropriate time will clearly benefit both countries and demonstrates why getting on top of the virus early is the best strategy for economic recovery,” the Prime Ministers said.
Compared to the current situation faced by many countries, both New Zealanders and Australians are incredibly fortunate when it comes to relaxed restrictions and freedom of movement within their home state. This provides ample opportunities to enjoy local trips and weekend getaways, and to visit family and friends.
Many flights in New Zealand are currently operating on a reduced schedule, however you can travel between all major cities. Kiwis can travel anywhere in the North and South Islands for recreational purposes at present, but are requested to keep a record of their movements. In terms of flights, the days of operation and departure timings are being evaluated against demand, so you can expect to see more domestic travel opportunities open up over the next few weeks.
Intrastate travel was opened up in all seven regions in Australia on June 1st, making it possible to take local trips. But the restrictions are different in each state and territory, with a handful of them still “sealed off” from other parts of Australia. The laws are changing day by day, so make sure that you keep an eye on the rules of your state, check your flight status online, and scan the various State and Territory travel breakdowns like the one on Flyparks, to stay informed.
Yes! Many of the airport car parks in Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington, and Nelson are still taking bookings. You can use the search bar above to check availability and to make a reservation.
The information presented in this article was accurate at the time of publishing, however travel restrictions can and may be loosened or imposed without warning. Flyparks does not accept responsibility or liability for the use of any of the information supplied.
