We currently find ourselves in unprecedented times. Thankfully we completed our last tours of the 2019-20 season in early March, just before International travel and shut downs started to occur. All of our clients were able to safely travel home with memories of an excellent time here in New Zealand. Since then the World has been impacted severely by this disease, and our thoughts are with those who have been affected first-hand. Thankfully our Wrybill family are all safe and well.
Many may have heard that New Zealand acted swiftly and decisively, closing our border to all but returning residents, citizens, and their families, and enforcing quarantine for those that did enter. This, and a very strict shelter in place order, have resulted in the country flattening the curve, to the point where in the first few days of May we have recorded just a handful of cases, and in the last two days, no new cases of the virus. It certainly isn’t over yet, with some still recovering around the country, and of course the potential for a small number of cases to still continue. With just less than 1,500 total cases and 20 deaths, New Zealand has done an exemplary job of controlling the spread.
What does this mean for tourism and entry into New Zealand in the future? At this stage we really don’t know what will happen with the New Zealand border. It is suggested that New Zealand and Australia might open its borders to each other, perhaps without a quarantine period, but that is yet to be determined. With regards to further afield – UK, USA, Canada, Europe? We just don’t know. With tourism being such a huge part of New Zealand’s economy, there will be some pressure to reopen the borders, but that seems unlikely to happen until there is accurate rapid testing or a vaccine.
We are currently keeping up with the news to try and understand how this might all impact our upcoming season, and beyond. But at this stage there is no point in making decisions until we have accurate information to base these decisions on. We hope to know more in the coming months, as a plan for the opening of the border becomes clear. In the meantime we welcome an email to touch base, or make an enquiry. Stay safe everyone!