A new tourism marketing campaign launches in Australia this week to build demand for travel to New Zealand as the country prepares to reopen borders to its first international visitors.

The prime minister announced yesterday (Wednesday March 16) that the borders would reopen to Australians on April 12, and to many other countries around the world by May 1, with local businesses and organisations celebrating the move.

See also: ‘Ready to welcome the world back’: border to reopen in time for Easter

The campaign, which features videos such the one below, aims to bolster bookings in the early reopening period, which is expected to start slowly.

Lake Wānaka Tourism (LWT) general manager Tim Barke said opening the border to Australians before Easter would allow demand to grow in the following months.

Visitors tend to take a while to work out their plans, Tim said: “I think the first people that will be travelling will be people visiting friends and relatives. It will increase over time.”

Stuart also said there would be a “rebuild” period ahead.

“International travel will be very competitive and airlines will take time to build up their schedules and routes,” he said. “The initial bookings from international tourists will be measured.” 

“In the first few months we expect people will travel mainly to connect with friends or family, before travel picks up for winter holidays, ski tourism, and ultimately our peak summer season in 2022/23.”

Tim said while it would take a while for businesses to “get up off their knees”, opening up to Australians and others is still “really welcome news”.

“[Local businesses] are looking forward to getting back to business.”

Trans-Tasman visitors have historically made up 40 percent of international arrivals to New Zealand.

PHOTO: Wānaka App