Tourism Minister Stuart Nash: NZ is open - others say testing rules a big speed hump for travel

All passengers must test negative for Covid-19 before flying into NZ. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash is taking the ''New Zealand is open'' message to Australia this week but travel and tourism groups say it's more a case of ''not quite.''

This country's pre-departure Covid test requirement for incoming passengers continues to be an impediment, they say.

Nash is leading a delegation to one of the first major international trade events by Tourism New Zealand since the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020.

"Our tourism delegation will see major players join forces to highlight one message for Australia: New Zealand is open for tourism, travel and business events," said the minister said before he departed.

Among other meetings, he is talking to the Australian Federation of Travel Agents whose chief executive Dean Long told the Herald that New Zealand is out of sync with travel rules across the Tasman. It was also suffering from a perception that tightly sealed borders during the last two years could be re-introduced.

Australia last month dropped the requirement for vaccinated arrivals to test negative before travel, joining other countries such as Britain, many countries in Europe, Canada and Singapore which have ditched the rule. Fiji did the same early this month.

New Zealand (and the United States) still require pre-departure tests which can run into hundreds of dollars for a family.

Travellers arriving in New Zealand are warned that without evidence of acceptable pre-departure test documentation to the specified standard required by the Government can be fined up to $4000. They must also do rapid antigen tests on arrival.

Australia is this county's biggest visitor market by volume and value and Long said New Zealand ''needed to get some runs on the board'' to show that it was truly open.

''Pre-departure testing is still an issue, primarily because there are other markets such as the United Kingdom and other countries are removing those requirements. Critically you don't need it to return to Australia,'' he said.

''It's one of those strange situations where we're so used to having a common and open border between Australia and New Zealand and having no friction. Nobody understands it because nobody is Covid-free anymore.''

Long said he would ask Nash what the public health rationale was for retaining the test.

Australians made up 70 per cent of skiers from overseas before Covid-19 Photo / NZSKI, Destination Queenstown

When asked by the Herald about the policy before his departure, Nash's office referred to a media briefing by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week. She said she could understand that airlines, airports, and tourism operators do want to make entry to New Zealand as easy as possible.

''We have to balance that against continuing to make it as safe as possible. So the
consideration for us is by having pre-departure testing, you reduce down the number of
possible people who may end up in your hospital system because they've come to the country with Covid already.''

The prime minister said then the requirement was ''constantly under review,'' but the Government wasn't making any changes now.

Long said New Zealand was competing against Australian states for visitors who normally came here, especially during the ski season as this country was regarded as a domestic destination.

Flight Centre in this country is also pushing for the pre-testing requirement to be dropped.

"It's encouraging to hear the news that Minister Nash is making an effort to promote New Zealand tourism in Australia,'' said David Coombes, managing director of Flight Centre Travel Group NZ.

Coombes said it was ''interesting'' that the message he will be spreading is New Zealand is open for tourism, travel and business events.

''We know there are still a few hurdles you must jump over if you plan to travel here, including the pre-departure test requirement, plus complicated forms that need to be completed before you can board a plane,'' said Coombes.

''We hope the Government is considering scrapping these unnecessary measures. This would certainly go a long way in encouraging our mates over the ditch to visit Aotearoa and provide a much-needed boost to our travel and tourism industry, both inbound and outbound."

Australians made up 70 per cent of skiers from overseas before Covid-19. Photo / NZSKI, Destination Queenstown

Before Covid-19 Australian visitors contributed 1.5 million (40 per cent) arrivals annually and spent $2.7 billion.

Inbound Tour Operators (ITOs) say they are ''constantly'' hearing from New Zealanders and visitors that the process is stressful because the uploading of information has glitches and the anxiety for both a pre-departure test (and results) and the travel declaration form is making people think about not coming to New Zealand or they'll just wait until the testing requirement is dropped.

''The last thing industry needs is people deciding to wait to visit until the testing is removed. They are trying to recover, not tread water," said council chief executive Lynda Keene.

''If New Zealand is not careful, offshore travel partners and independent travellers may simply give up on New Zealand because we're making it too hard. We must keep in step with Australia with no barriers to travel. Otherwise, our international recovery (and reputation) is at risk.''

The business events sector says Australian customers regard the pre-departure test rule as an impediment.

''Especially when they are looking at destination comparisons between New Zealand, Singapore, and most of Europe. It immediately adds an additional $200–$250 to the price of travelling as well as the time it takes to complete the testing,'' said Lisa Hopkins, chief executive of Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA).

While New Zealand was still considered to be a most desirable destination, customers are saying that they hope the New Zealand Government will dispense with this test, as Australia has done, given their high rate of vaccination.

Certainty was needed for 110 Australian buyers of event services and products at the BEIA'S main event in June this year. Last year they committed to $74m in spending on events.

''This quality group are looking for a seamless, door-to-door experience they themselves will be delivering for their customers. We implore the Government to give us a timeframe on when we can expect a change to this (testing) requirement,'' said Hopkins.