"It's awesome!" Air New Zealand staff react to travel bubble announcement. Video / Supplied
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has fronted Australian media this morning to sell New Zealand to the Aussies, saying she looks forward to seeing them soon.
However she's made it pretty clear she's trying to lure Kiwis living in Australia and tourists back here for a visit before she makes any plans to fly across the ditch.
She also said it was Australian PM Scott Morrison's turn to set foot on New Zealand soil first.
Ardern's appearance on Australia's national radio and morning breakfast shows comes less than 24 hours after she confirmed quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand would resume on April 19.
Speaking to Australian radio station Fiveaa, she said New Zealand was looking forward to welcoming the hundreds of thousands of Aussies who had nowhere to travel for the past year.
"We are looking forward to it. A big part of who we are is welcoming other people from around the world.
"We've really missed it - so expect that you might be somewhat smothered by a large reception."
Ardern explained what would happen if Covid did emerge, saying it would treat Australia as an extra albeit larger region and that it was all part of the new Covid times.
"Although there is nothing formal around what is required between us if we do that we have a good relationship, I expect that if anything crops up along the way we will have that kind of informal ability to be in touch with one another and talk through the issues if they come up."
Australians coming to New Zealand would have to provide their contact details, would be encouraged to download the Covid-19 contact tracing app and be asked to use the same kind of approach in Australia such as washing your hands. Masks are also required to worn on planes and temperature checking may occur.
Ardern told Australia's Today show that New Zealand had missed Australian tourists - and defended why it had taken so long for New Zealand to open its doors to them.
She said the Government now believed it could safely manage outbreaks and had a flexible and sophisticated regime.
"The most important thing you will hear from Kiwis is just that reunification."
She said Australia made up 40 per cent and $2.7 billion worth of tourism spend but it was an added bonus to the human-to-human contact people were missing.
"I am excited. It has been a long time."
Ardern said she had friends and family in Australia and the separation had been really tough for them.
"After a hard long year for you and for us this is a step back to normal."
Ardern expected there would be an influx of Kiwis who are residents in Australia popping over to see family and friends - but also encouraged those who just need a break to fly over too.
"Come and visit one of our cities and enjoy our food, our drink, our shopping. Or if you just need a bit of R&R come visit a wide open space, our nature, our skifields, our experiences are incredible.
"New Zealanders have been relishing that opportunity - we've been doing that ourselves and our tourism sector have really benefitted from Kiwis seeing their own backyard but we would love to have Aussies join in and do what we have been doing for the last year."
However Ardern warned travellers did need prepare in case a region had to be locked down, but said what better place in the world to be stuck.
"I'm sorry I can't come into work - I'm stuck in New Zealand. What a perfect scenario."
Following extending its bubble with Australia, she said New Zealand's next priority was to open to the Cook Islands in May because of its relationship with those communities.
The country was looking at who it could open its doors up to next safely.
Ardern told Sunrise that neither country has said the arrangement was reliant on the vaccine.
"Our rate of vaccination does not impact our ability to safely open up already and so that's why we are moving now."
She also reiterated that "hand on heart" she could honestly say that New Zealand had missed Australia and that it was not only looking forward to welcoming Kiwis home but hosting Australian tourists too.
Yesterday Tourism NZ went into overdrive welcoming Aussies back in, while its Australian counterpart was trying to lure Aussies back across the ditch.
