Home Travel News

IT’S COMING: Travel to NZ will soon be as easy as travelling domestic

Airports are one of the biggest complexities travellers face on the road, mostly due to non-streamlined customs & security systems that create confusion & often increase wait times & queues.

Airports are one of the biggest complexities travellers face on the road, mostly due to non-streamlined customs & security systems that create confusion & often increase wait times & queues.

That’s even the case for us Aussies travelling a mere three hours to New Zealand (and vice versa), but hopefully, that’ll soon change.

Speaking at the CAPA Australia Pacific Summit in Sydney this week, Tourism & Transport Forum’s Margy Osmond said Australia and New Zealand are currently working on a solution that’ll streamline gateway systems so that trans-Tasman travel is near-domestic.

karryon-man-at-airport-waiting

Image: Jetshoots.com/Unsplash

Everyone from airlines to border force security and governments are working on tidying up processes, syncing technology and meeting mutual benefits.

“A little bit of common activity between Australia and New Zealand would be a big step forward.”

Margy Osmond, Tourism & Transport Forum Chief Executive

“Australia has a reputation for being a leader in some of this space, so maybe if we can get it right, we can take it elsewhere.”

karryon_avalon_airport_departure_sign

Image: Avalon Airport/Facebook

When Australia and New Zealand’s teams succeed in creating a near-domestic experience for trans-Tasman travel, Osmond said it would move some 1.2 million people from international airport queues per year.

If that’s the case, international travellers could practically skip through gateway control.

 

Would you prefer a domestic process for trans-Tasman travel?