New Zealand Eyes Cook Islands Travel Bubble
Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published August 10, 2020 | 09:20 AM
Wellington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Aug, 2020 ) :New Zealand plans to open a virus-free "travel bubble" with the tiny Pacific realm of Cook Islands before year's end, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday, while expressing caution about a similar arrangement with Australia.
Ardern said the quarantine-free travel corridor was possible because New Zealand and the Cooks -- an archipelago of under 10,000 people -- had successfully contained the coronavirus.
"Our expectation is that it would be in place before the end of the year," she told reporters, adding that officials were being careful not to move too quickly on the proposal.
"The last thing anyone wants is to reopen travel, only to have it closed down again because it hasn't been done properly." New Zealand has recorded only 22 coronavirus deaths in a population of five million, and marked 100 days since its last case of community transmission on Sunday, while the Cooks declared itself virus-free in mid-April.
The economic benefits of the travel bubble are expected to be felt mostly in the Cooks, a popular tourist destination where Ardern estimated 60 percent of pre-virus visitors were from New Zealand.
A trans-Tasman bubble with Australia would be far more advantageous to New Zealand's economy, where international tourism screeched to a halt when borders were closed in March.
The prospect looked tantalisingly close a few months ago, before Australia was hit with a second wave of infections centred on Victoria state.
"We're still undertaking the foundational work for trans-Tasman travel arrangements but obviously that's going to be sometime off," Ardern said.
All international arrivals into New Zealand are currently required to spend at least 14 days in strictly supervised quarantine.
But New Zealanders domestically are enjoying a near-normal, pre-coronavirus lifestyle with no social distancing and spectators allowed at sports and cultural events.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
16 hours ago -
Kite Flying: From cultural festival to deadly sport
16 hours ago -
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
3 days ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
5 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
5 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
5 days ago
-
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
5 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
6 days ago -
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
8 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
12 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
12 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
13 days ago