Australia, New Zealand and Fiji are investigating options to open up tourist travel between themselves through a ‘bubble’ system.
Tourism is a significant part of these countries’ economies, and has been severely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Australia and New Zealand have been discussing the creation of a trans-Tasman travel zone, which would allow travel between the two countries without requirements for rigorous quarantines. Australia and New Zealand have an extremely close diplomatic and economic relationship, and grant each other’s citizens visa-free residence rights.
Travel between the two countries is a large part of the tourist sector for each of them. In May, New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern attended a meeting of the Australian national cabinet – the first time since the Second World War that a New Zealand prime minister had done so – to discuss the matter.
A statement at the time quoted Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison as saying: ‘A trans-Tasman Covid-safe travel zone would be mutually beneficial, assisting our trade and economic recovery, helping kick-start the tourism and transport sectors, enhancing sporting contacts, and reuniting families and friends. We need to be cautious as we progress this initiative. Neither country wants to see the virus rebound so it’s essential any such travel zone is safe. Relaxing travel restrictions at an appropriate time will clearly benefit both countries and demonstrates why getting on top of the virus early is the best strategy for economic recovery.’
Fiji, meanwhile, has proposed a ‘Bula Bubble’, which would allow relaxed travel between itself, Australia and New Zealand. Bula means welcome in Fijian. This would allow travellers to enter the country via designated air or sea routes, albeit still with some quarantine and testing requirements.
Fijian Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama said in the country’s parliament: ‘While Australia and New Zealand work out their trans-Tasman bubble, Fiji’s equal – or arguably, greater – success against the virus puts us in a position to take the lead in the Pacific.’
New Zealand in particular has been credited with success against the Covid-19 virus, while Fiji – although less visible on the world stage – has been relatively lightly hit by it.
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