Tourism New Zealand will be launching a campaign this week to encourage Australians to travel across the ditch.
The campaign is launching off the back of the Government's announcement vaccinated Australians can enter New Zealand from 11.59pm on April 12.
"This is the most exciting moment for our hard-working tourism sector for the past two years," Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash said in the wake of the announcement.
The campaign from the Government's tourism marketing agency seeks to persuade Australians New Zealand's unique landscapes, hospitality and the friendliness of Kiwis are now "within your wildest dreams".
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"With borders now opening, Tourism New Zealand's activity becomes focused on converting dreams and holiday dreams and aspirations into action in the form of actual bookings," Nash said.
He explained the campaign highlights some of New Zealand's most popular experiences sought out by Australian visitors - fine dining, jet boating, cycling through vineyards and stargazing in internationally-renowned dark sky reserves.
Nash said Australians were the "immediate focus of activation efforts" due to the ease of travel on the short-haul route. Pre-Covid, Australians constituted 40% of overall visitors to New Zealand.
When the trans-Tasman bubble was open for three months, 160,000 Australians had travelled over.
Australia's school holidays and Easter-ANZAC break are also popular times to make the short hop across the Tasman, Nash said.
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He added New Zealand's ski season also gets underway from June, with historically 71% of all international tourists coming to ski being Australians. They have generated $211 million in winter spending in the past.
Nash said in the first few months it is expected Australians will mainly come over to connect with family and friends.
Travel is then expected to pick up for winter holidays, ski tourism and peak summer season in 2022/2023.
Tourism operators including Air New Zealand say the announcement is the news New Zealand has been waiting for.
Tourism pre-Covid (year ended March 2020):
- Total tourism expenditure was $41.9 billion.
- Key international spend included $1.9b on accommodation, $2.7b on food and beverage and $2.7 on air transport
- International tourism expenditure reached $17.5b and contributed 20.1% to New Zealand's total exports of goods and services
- Total international visitor arrivals were 3.65 million - 1.8 million were holiday visitors and 1 million were visiting friends and whānau
- Tourists generated $3.9b in GST revenue, with $1.8b coming from international tourists
- Tourism employed 225,384 people - 8% of total employment in New Zealand
- Australia alone accounted for 1.5 million arrivals - 40% of all visitor arrivals, which increased to 49% over ski season
- Australians spent $2.7 billion
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