Photo: 123RF
The travel and tourism industries were anxiously awaiting the government's announcement on the proposed trans-Tasman quarantine-free travel bubble later today, with some companies needing just 24 hours to prepare, while others, such as Auckland Airport and Air New Zealand, want about three weeks' notice.
A trans-Tasman bubble will initially see the return of Australian tourists, which accounts for about 41 percent of New Zealand's international travel, or about 30 percent when connecting international flights are excluded.
Hotel Council Aotearoa strategic director James Doolan said hotel operators were looking forward to a two-way bubble, but it would not mean a return to business-as-usual.