United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
New Zealand moving forward with Cook Islands travel bubble
A New Zealand-Cook Islands travel bubble could finally begin within a few weeks.
NZ Government officials will go to the Pacific nation at the weekend to check on arrangements, and once the countries agree on protocols, it could start within a ‘couple of weeks’ said NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
"Keep in mind it’s not just New Zealand saying we’re ready to go," Ardern said.
"While I don’t wish to put any timeframes on a potential travel bubble, it is my aim and hope that this can resume as soon as is safely possible.
"This on-the-ground visit by officials is the next step in that process," the PM added.
It is a boost for the Cook Islands which relies on tourism for a massive 85% of GDP.
"There is no business, there is no income coming in apart from what the government is providing. There is nothing else to fall back to, we don’t have another sector, tourism is our whole GDP," Fletcher Melvin of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce said earlier this year.
"Without an economy it can only be a matter of time before we can’t pay for essential services, before the health system, the education system and just all of our services in general won’t be able to be maintained."
New Zealand is the main source market, generating about 70% of all international arrivals to the Cook Islands.
Written by Ray Montgomery, Asia Editor
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel