When the New Zealand border opens, and what this means for Airbnb owners

With tourists being slim pickings for the last couple of years (thank you very much, COVID), finally, there’s an end in sight!

In this article, we will cover what we know so far about the border opening to international tourists. Plus, we will cover what this will mean for your Airbnb business.

Let’s dive right in!

Here’s what we know so far from the Unite Against Covid-19 and beehive.govt.nz:

• The Auckland boundary settings are going to change from the 15th December, meaning that travel is allowed for all vaccinated people or those that can provide a negative test result

• Double-vaxxed NZ citizens and other eligible travellers can travel to NZ from Australia without a stay in MIQ. This will take place from 11.59 pm on Sunday 16th January 2022

• Double-vaxxed NZ citizens and other eligible travellers will be able to travel to NZ from other countries (except for high-risk ones) from 11.59 pm on Sunday, 13th February 2022

• All fully vaccinated foreign nationals are allowed to travel to NZ from 30th April 2022, with the re-opening staged over time

So what does this mean for New Zealand Airbnb hosts?

From mid-January, we will see double-vaxxed Kiwis that have been living in Australia (and probably haven’t been able to see people they love for quite some time) entering New Zealand. 

Also, the Auckland boundary settings will lapse, so people will be allowed to travel around the country again!

This is fantastic news because barriers such as lengthy MIQ stays and exemption documents aren’t required for travellers. So this makes travelling easier than ever and should lead to increased business for your Airbnb!

And the news keeps getting better! From the end of April, we are likely to see an influx of tourists from other countries visiting New Zealand. This could mean big business and big bucks if you market your Airbnb business well!

Conclusion

Our NZ border and international border opening is wonderful news for Airbnb owners all across the country because it means we are likely to see an influx of overseas visitors that need a place to stay as they travel through our beautiful country.

This means it’s time to update your listing, have a look at redecorating your Airbnb, and do anything else you need to prepare yourself for all those overseas visitors!

If this sounds daunting to you, and you would rather someone else manage your Airbnb bookings for you and take care of all the boring stuff like cleaning, then you should check out Zodiak Management. We manage short-term rentals for people who own Airbnb properties in Auckland, and we love what we do!