Single Anzac visa urged to boost tourism
New Zealand and Australian tourism organisations are lobbying for a permanent ANZAC trans-Tasman visa that could attract an extra 140,000 visitors to the region.
Last year a temporary trans-Tasman visa arrangement during the ICC Cricket World Cup meant visitors travelling during a three month window only required an Australian visa to travel over to New Zealand.
The Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF) and Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) are encouraging the Australian Government to complete a review of the visa option as a matter of urgency, and to work with the New Zealand Government to put in place a permanent trans-Tasman visa by the end of 2016.
TTF chief executive Margy Osmond said seamless travel between the two countries made them more attractive as destinations in a cut-throat, competitive tourism market.
‘‘The reality is that if you are coming halfway around the world to Australia or New Zealand you want to make it worth your while, just as travelling to Europe we visit a multitude of countries on that continent not just one.
‘‘A 2014 TTF investigation into the benefits of streamlining the TransTasman border highlighted that a joint visa scheme could increase the number of international visitors to our region by 141,300 people by 2020 – that’s more jobs and economic activity we are missing out on by dragging our feet on a TransTasman Visa.’’
TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said the experience during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 proved that a trans-Tasman visa arrangement has tremendous potential to bring more visitors to both countries. While it was in place, more than 7200 travellers from 77 nations used it to enter New Zealand. Approximately 40 per cent of them were Chinese, a non-playing nation.
‘‘This is already happening successfully elsewhere – for example the Schengen zone of 28 European countries, where a single visitor visa is required.’’