Travel agents overseas aren’t confident in selling Aotearoa as a holiday destination to customers.
Market research conducted by Tourism Export Council New Zealand has found many they are frustrated there isn’t a definitive date for our border reopening.
Some also fear their clients will get stuck here if there is a Covid outbreak, prompting them to sell other countries as holiday spots.
“Overseas agents are selling other destinations because we can’t offer them what they need. We’re off the menu,” tourism marketing expert Gina Paladini told 1News.
TECNZ’s chief executive, Lynda Keene, said demand to travel to New Zealand is high but the uncertainty over our border dates means the tourism dollars are going elsewhere.
“If we can’t get an indication within the next three months that New Zealand is open in 2022, those booking are just going,” she said.
In 2019, more than 3.8 million tourists and travellers visited Aotearoa, bringing in close to $17.5 billion in expenditure.
Since Covid-19 lockdowns here and around the world those figures have dropped significantly, putting many tourism operators out of business.
TECNZ said it understands New Zealand cannot simply open up its borders tomorrow but says a date or timeframe is needed to ensure we keep tourists interested and our companies running.
It’s proposing we allow travellers from the US and North America to enter from early next year, provided they are fully vaccinated.
From there it suggests opening up to other key international partners, such as Europe, every few months after that.
1News asked people enjoying a sunny Saturday in Wellington when they think the borders should reopen.
“I understand why they’re closed,” one man said, “but I don’t think we should open 'cause we’re putting everyone at risk.”
One woman said she’d prefer it we keep the borders closed so that New Zealanders can enjoy their own country.
Another said it’s import to give people a plan, pointing to other countries who have begun welcoming tourists back.
Tourism Minister Stuart Nash told 1News the Government is committed to reopening the country’s borders safely from next year and said the key to doing so is high vaccination rates.
Currently, 54 per cent of New Zealand’s population eligible to be vaccinated have had both jabs.
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