Scenes of joyful tears at the Wellington Airport on day one of the trans-Tasman bubble.
The return of Australian tourists is expected to bring a small but welcome boost for Manawatū tourism operators.
The first quarantine-free international passenger flights since the start of the pandemic arrived on Monday, after the trans-Tasman bubble officially opened on Monday.
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment statistics show Australian travellers spent $45 million in the wider Manawatū in 2019, and similar spending this year would ease the strain on tourism operators who’ve had to adapt to new markets and lay-off staff during the pandemic.
Central Economic Development Agency spokeswoman Janet Reynolds said people visiting friends and family had always been a big part of Manawatū tourism, and with many Australian’s itching to reconnect with Kiwi kin after a year’s separation, the travel bubble was certainly good news for everyone.