Tourism: Airlines, airports welcome visa change for foreign language speakers

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston, seen here at SkyCity's Weta Workshop Unleashed in April, addressed tourism and visa issues today. Photo / Dean Purcell, File

Airlines, airports and a major travel agency have welcomed efforts to streamline some visa applications as the country tries to get its tourism mojo back.

The Government will stop demanding certified translations of supporting documents for overseas visitors. The policy has been ditched less than a year after its introduction.

“We have to welcome this because it has removed one of these additional costs and process burdens,” New Zealand Airports chief executive Billie Moore told the Herald.

She said more work was needed to find ways of making New Zealand attractive and practical for overseas visitors to reach.

“Demand is strong. Aviation growth is going really well offshore. In New Zealand, not so much.”

The local lag was largely due to supply chain issues, Moore said.

“The challenge now is on airline supply and getting more choice and more aircraft into New Zealand so we ensure the demand actually gets here.”

The extra translation requirement had been a source of frustration and affected perceptions of New Zealand in key visa markets, Moore added.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston made the announcement at tourism trade show Trenz in Rotorua this morning.

Flight Centre said the announcement was a smart, business-friendly move that would reduce friction for travellers and stimulate inbound tourism.

“It also sends a clear signal that NZ is open for business and committed to improving access and competitiveness,” said Kelly Thomas, NZ general manager at Flight Centre’s FCM Travel brand.

Making inbound tourism easier would have a ripple effect on the outbound sector, Thomas said.

“This change will also have a positive impact on our local businesses and tourism operators. By being more accessible, several industries benefit - such as hospitality, transport and accommodation.

“We welcome the Government’s focus on making it easier to travel to NZ and look forward to seeing continued improvements that support trade, tourism and investment.”

The Board of Airlines Representatives of NZ (Barnz) also welcomed the changes.

“To maintain and expand NZ‘s air connectivity, we need to systematically address friction points like this one,” Barnz executive director Cath O’Brien said.

The airline and airport groups said people applying to visit NZ in languages other than English had been required to provide certified translations of their documents.

NZ Airports and Barnz said that process added time, cost, and complexity not required by other countries.

LDR reported the change would come into effect on May 26.

O’Brien last month told the Herald visas for tourists from China and India were too expensive.

A visitor visa costs $341.

The visa waiver programme exempts people in 60 countries from those fees.

China and India are not exempt and O’Brien said NZ had become reliant on United States tourists, which might become a problem if the US economy destabilised.

Stats NZ said overseas visitor numbers in February this year were only 85% of the number recorded in February 2019, before the Covid pandemic.

Luxon today told industry leaders in Rotorua the Government was committed to growing tourism.

International tourism is the country’s second biggest export earner, behind dairy.

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He has previously covered consumer affairs, crime and court.