New Zealand welcomes back tourists as pandemic rules eased

By NICK PERRY
Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand has begun welcoming back tourists from the U.S., Canada, Britain, Japan and more than 50 other countries for the first time in more than two years after dropping most of its remaining pandemic border restrictions. The country has long been renowned for its breathtaking scenery and adventure tourism offerings such as bungy jumping and jetboating. Before the spread of COVID-19, more than 3 million tourists visited each year, accounting for more than 5% of the economy. But international tourism stopped altogether in early 2020 after New Zealand imposed some of the world’s toughest border restrictions. The real test of how much the tourism industry rebounds will come during the Southern Hemisphere summer several months away.