The two-way quarantine-free travel bubble between New Zealand and the Cook Islands will still be going ahead as planned on January 14.
That’s despite the New Zealand Government’s announcement on Tuesday that it would be delaying MIQ-free international travel to other countries until the end of February 2022 to keep Omicron away for as long as possible.
Cook Islands Tourism Corporation general manager Graeme West confirmed it was still “definitely all-go for the border re-opening”.
“Yesterday’s announcement from the NZ Government affects New Zealanders coming from Australia, it does not affect the isolation and quarantine free travel to and from the Cook Islands.”
A spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office confirmed there was no change to the plan to open up to the Cook Islands in January.
Since the travel bubble between the islands and New Zealand was announced last month, West said bookings had been building “steadily”.
But, there is some resistance against quarantine-free travel to the islands.
Earlier this month, a peaceful protest took place against the re-opening of the bubble. The protest’s leader and Cook Island United Party founder Teariki Heather said it wasn’t safe for residents.
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said at the time he had hoped to talk to the group but they disbanded and left when he arrived. He called it a “political rally” rather than a protest.
West said managing the health and safety of Cook Islanders and visitors was the top priority.
Ninety-six per cent of Cook Island residents 12 years and over are now fully vaccinated, and the rollout for boosters is underway, he said.
Children between the ages of 5 and 11 in the Cook Islands would also begin to get their Covid-19 vaccines from early next year.
All tourists travelling to the Cook Islands will have to be double vaccinated and be at least 12 years old. They'll also need a negative Covid test before leaving.
Once children aged between 5 and 11 in the Cook Islands and New Zealand are vaccinated, they will be allowed to visit.
Anyone travelling to the outer islands will have to do another test at the domestic terminal.
SHARE ME