Lagatar24 Desk
Wellington, May 11: New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday that the country’s international borders will reopen completely at 11:59 p.m. on July 31, with cruise ships welcomed back to local ports on the same day.
The border’s opening in late July is two months ahead of the government’s previous schedule, allowing visa-required travellers to enter New Zealand sooner.
In an address to a Business NZ lunch in Auckland, the Prime Minister argued that opening the borders would assist to alleviate severe skills shortages, open up tourism, and place immigration policies on a more secure footing.
“We are building on our proven plan to secure New Zealand’s economic future,” said the PM.