NZ business events industry welcomes limited easing of isolation as ’first step’ to recovery

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA), New Zealand has welcomed the government’s 28 February announcement lifting all self-isolation requirements for fully vaccinated New Zealanders and eligible visa holders entering the country from Australia. This group will no longer be required to isolate from 11:59pm, 2 March. They will be quickly followed by vaccinated New Zealanders and eligible travellers from anywhere in the world from 11:59pm, 4 March. BEIA chief executive Lisa Hopkins (pictured) noted this decision signalled a strong intent for other travellers. “This is a great start in reconnecting New Zealand with the world. We are encouraged by the prime minister saying a decision could be made by mid-March on opening up to all travellers,” she said. “However, for the past two years, our industry has felt like it has been in a permanent lockdown. We have a significant number of business events in a holding pattern because of current international border settings and, as a consequence, many New Zealanders here at home are still unsure of their future,” Hopkins added. “Our message to the prime minister is that while today is the first step in delivering hope back to many in the visitor economy, we now look forward to timely decisions on the next steps of the plan to ensure the industry can begin its own recovery from Covid,” she said.