Signalling travel restoration, New Zealand welcomes first cruise ship since Covid-19

The submit Signalling travel recovery, New Zealand welcomes first cruise ship since Covid-19 appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily.

New Zealand has welcomed the first cruise ship to return since the coronavirus pandemic started, signalling a long-sought return to normalcy for the nation’s tourism business. The nation closed its borders in early 2020 because it sought at first to remove COVID-19 completely after which later to manage its unfold.

Although the nation reopened its borders to most vacationers arriving by airplane in May, it wasn’t till two weeks in the past that it lifted all remaining restrictions, together with these on maritime arrivals. The finish of restrictions allowed Carnival Australia’s CCL, +1.93% Pacific Explorer cruise ship to dock in Auckland with about 2,000 passengers and crew Friday morning as a part of a 12-day return journey to Fiji that left from Sydney.

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash mentioned: “It’s another step in the reopening of our borders and a step closer to resuming business as usual.”

Nash mentioned it might take a while for worldwide vacationer numbers and income to return to their pre-pandemic ranges, when the business accounted for about 20% of New Zealand’s overseas earnings and greater than 5% of GDP.

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