New Zealand’s government has set a date to fully reopen to international travel after more than two years of some of the world’s toughest travel restrictions. 

New Zealand will fully resume international travel by July 31, 2022, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced on May 11, 2022.  

In an official statement issued on the New Zealand Government website, Ardern explained that entry restrictions will be removed for both air and marine travel, meaning that cruise ships will also be cleared to return to local ports. 

New Zealand’s government had initially planned to fully reopen international borders in early October 2022, bringing the country’s tough pandemic restrictions to an end two months earlier than originally planned. 

However, the date was brought forward, as the country has been recording the lowest COVID-19 virus infection and death rates since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. 

Ardern also said the decision was taken as a measure to reinvigorate the economy, including the country’s ailing tourism sector.  

“We are building on our proven plan to secure New Zealand’s economic future. [...] New Zealand is in demand and now fully open for business,” Arden was quoted as saying in the press release.

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