Cairns-New Zealand travel bubble to boost FNQ tourism recovery

The travel bubble between Queensland and New Zealand has been welcomed by a Cairns Maori cultural group whose president hopes it would help restart tourism in the Far North.

THE travel bubble between Queensland and New Zealand has been welcomed by a Cairns Maori cultural group whose president hopes it will help restart tourism in the Far North.

The Queensland government announced on Saturday travel restrictions would lift.

It means flights from New Zealand resumed from Saturday night without needing to quarantine. It also meant any traveller from New Zealand could leave hotel quarantine if they have returned a negative COVID-19 test.

Marsha Tumai, president of Nga Matawaka Maori Cultural Group in Cairns, said it was “fantastic news”.

President of Cairns NZ community group Nga Matawaka, Marsha Totorew says that many in her group are waiting anxiously for border restrictions to be eased, so that travel to New Zealand from Cairns will occur unimpeded. (Back row, L-R) Ranginui Martin, Manasseh Robinson, Matariki Martin, Kaia Martin, (front row, L-R) Liz Ngaha, Millie Herewini, Kassidy Ngaha, Oasis Totorewa and Marsha Totorewa at the Salvation Army's Manunda church, where they performed as part of the Harmony Day celebrations in Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

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“Because we have a lot of families who have been wanting to get here in Queensland,” Ms Tumai said.

“All this opening and closing and the recent lockdown in Auckland have been quite an emotional rollercoaster.

“I was living in New Zealand when COVID hit last year then we came back up here to Cairns.”

Ms Tumai said she hoped the New Zealand government would make a similar announcement about Queensland to make it a two-way travel bubble.

Originally published as Cairns-New Zealand travel bubble to boost FNQ tourism recovery