How much of a boost will trans-Tasman bubble give NZ's economy?

April 7, 2021

Tourism New Zealand estimates Kiwis will earn $1 billion from allowing Australians quarantine-free travel here.

It's hoped the opening of the trans-Tasman bubble will bring a big boost to many sectors of New Zealand’s economy.

Tourism New Zealand estimates Kiwi businesses will earn $1 billion from allowing Australians to travel to NZ quarantine-free.

Auckland, Central Otago and Canterbury stand to reap the majority of that, but the West Coast is likely to get a decent cash injection too.

The estimate has decent backing, with statistics from 2019 showing Australians spent $3 billion while touring New Zealand, 23 per cent of all international spending for that year.

Those operators in Queenstown were particularly excited about the news of a bubble with the ski season on the horizon.

Around 1.5 million Australians jetted across the Tasman each year to check out New Zealand pre-Covid-19, which breaks down to about 128,000 people a month.

While figures won't bounce back to pre-Covid numbers immediately after April 19, tourist destinations that have been decimated by the pandemic can finally roll out the welcome mats again for visitors for the first time in over a year.

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