New Zealand to open travel bubble with Australia on April 19

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand announced Tuesday it will open a long-anticipated travel bubble with Australia on April 19 now that both countries have been successful in stamping out the spread of the coronavirus.

The start of quarantine-free travel between the neighboring nations will come as a relief to families who have been separated by the pandemic as well as to struggling tourist operators.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said health officials believe the risk of the virus being transmitted from Australia is low and that travel is now safe.

“The bubble will give our economic recovery a boost and represents a world-leading arrangement of safely opening up international travel while continuing to pursue a strategy of elimination and keeping the virus out," Ardern said.

Australia had previously allowed New Zealanders to arrive without going into quarantine but New Zealand had taken a more cautious approach, requiring travelers from Australia to spend two weeks in quarantine upon arrival.

Both countries have managed to keep out the virus by putting up barriers to the outside world, including strict quarantine requirements for travelers from countries where the virus is rampant.

The announcement comes ahead of the New Zealand ski season and was welcome news for many tourist towns, including the ski resort of Queenstown.

Mal Price, co-owner of The Cow restaurant in Queenstown, said the number of customers was down by about 80% this year.

“Hallelujah. Business will be back,” he said. “Every business will have hope now that they can survive. It really has been dire.”

The Cow is among the oldest eateries in the region after opening its doors more than 40 years ago. Price said he'd survived by no longer offering lunches most weekdays and...