The bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands resumes on January 14, with no quarantine required at either end. Photo / Supplied
The bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands resumes on January 14, with no quarantine required at either end. Photo / Supplied
While Whanganui people have been inquiring about the re-opening of the Cook Islands travel bubble, many are hesitant to lock in bookings according to a city travel agent.
From Friday, January 14, the quarantine-free travel bubble between the Cook Islands and New Zealand resumes.
It's been more than five monthssince the Cook Islands government stopped all flights into Rarotonga after the Delta outbreak in Auckland.
House of Travel Wanganui owner/operator Carla McKinnon said there had been definite interest from locals.
"We had quite a few customers who were booked to go in to go over that December, early January period. We have had a lot of rebookings, but I wouldn't say there has been a huge amount of interest from new clients."
"There are no worries as far as the bubble is concerned. It is all proceeding on schedule, there is always a little bit of hesitance in the Whanganui community."
All visitors to the Cook Islands must be aged over 12 years and be fully vaccinated.
Visitors also must get a Covid-19 test no more than 48 hours before departure and show the negative result at departure and on arrival.
Children aged 5 to 11 years aren't able to travel, as they are not vaccinated.
They won't be able to travel until they are vaccinated and children in the same age bracket in the Cook Islands are also vaccinated.
New Zealand children in that age bracket are eligible to get their first dose of the vaccine from January 17.
A date for when Cook Islands children can be vaccinated hasn't been confirmed, but it is likely to roll out at the end of January or in February.
"That does restrict quite a few of those younger families and especially families who haven't had their over 12-year-old vaccinated," said McKinnon.
"That is something that could hinder family bookings."
There still is interest, she said, but the Government's restrictions on the border were putting people in a place of hesitancy.
"What if we do book and we don't have the security of being able to go?"
The transtasman border with Australia was also set to reopen on January 17, but that was pushed out until at least the end of February.
Cook Islands Community Group chairman Nga Apai said he plans on going over in April with his family as part of his wife's 50th and daughter's 21st birthday celebrations.
He hasn't booked yet, hoping to see the stability of the bubble before locking anything in.
He said he knew a few people who were looking to head over later in January, but many sat in a similar position to him.
Whanganui man Nick O'Leary flew back into New Zealand on January 1 after spending the last six months on the Cook Islands.
He originally went over there on July 1, when the quarantine-free bubble was first opened back up.
O'Leary planned to return to New Zealand in September, but with the uncertainty of Covid-19 and Auckland in the midst of a lockdown, he decided to stay in Rarotonga for a few extra months.
"The majority of the tourists left within the first two weeks of the lockdown. What was left were people like myself who could actually stay there."
He said locals were a bit divided when it came to the idea of tourists returning to their country.
With a fairly large elderly population, he said a number of locals didn't want to risk a potential spread of Covid-19.
On the other hand, the Cook Islands economy heavily relied on tourism and internationals coming in, he added.
The restrictions the Cook Islands government has put in place, mainly around compulsory vaccination for all travellers, should leave little to worry about, he said.
"There is always the odd person that doesn't want anyone there. But if you own a resort or something, you definitely need a tourist or two."
O'Leary plans on using the quarantine-free travel bubble in the near future.
"I had a bloody good time. That last month of December, it just gets too hot and wet. I would love to be back there, but I will leave it until April.
"I just enjoyed it. Everyone is so friendly, they all want to know your story. I recommend the Cook Islands to anyone."
