Re-united couples are among many travellers making the most of their time together now that quarantine-free travel to Aotearoa is open after more than two years.
A re-united family at Auckland International Airport today. Photo: RNZ/Katie Doyle
A long-distance couple, Iris and David, were separated by the Pacific Ocean. They're now together, hugging in real life at Auckland airport this morning after countless Facetimes.
"Finally made it," said David, an American. "I originally applied for a working holiday visa in February of 2020. And I'm finally here.
"Until today I had not been within 6000 miles of this country. My first time here I'm home," David said.
He arrived on a flight from Los Angeles as New Zealand's borders opened to visitors from 60 countries for the first time in two years.
Robin had flown in from the US, one of the few tourists on the flight.
"I've been waiting to come here for years. I'm finally here," she said tearfully. "Amazing."
An open border is giving Kiwis the confidence to not only holiday but see their families or do business overseas.
Fraser and Megan, both New Zealanders, were finally able to get to the States with their toddler, who hadn't seen his grandparents since he was a newborn.
"We're just returning. We went to see my parents. It was incredible - the end of a long nightmare," Megan said.
They'd been over there around Christmas 2019, when their son was five months old at the time. He's now nearly three, and hadn't seen his grandparents since.
Minister of Tourism Stuart Nash was all smiles wandering around the arrivals hall, shaking hands with people and giving out peanut slabs.
"It's just the beginning of the reopening. We're not quite back to normal. But businesspeople can now leave and do business overseas. Kiwis can go on holiday and catch up with loved ones. But more importantly we can welcome back international tourists. We've been waiting for a long time for this, and it's so good to see," Nash said.
The government, Nash said, got the balance right between the health of New Zealanders and that of the tourism sector, having kept the border closed for over two years despite the financial impacts it had.
"There's been a lot of debates, a lot of angst, a lot of arguments, a lot of soul searching around the Cabinet table with every single decision we make.
"But underlying everything we do it's about keeping our community safe, and I think we've done a really good job in that to be honest."
Travellers from 60 visa-waiver countries are now able to enter New Zealand. Photo: RNZ / Jonty Dine
He said he acknowledged the difficulty so many in tourism faced, and the government had put about $100 million into Tourism New Zealand to market the country to travellers.
Over the last year Tourism NZ has been whetting the appetite of potential travellers - "building that aspiration" for people to come once they were able, Nash said.
New Zealanders are still coming home too.
Jessica gave her mum Sally a long, teary, hug in the arrivals hall.
"Really exciting. First time back in four years," Jessica said.
And a mum gets her daughter home.
"So overwhelmed, and just so good to have her back. It's been a long time," Sally said. "It's been tough."
Friends and family would also be meeting lockdown babies for the first time. One man, raised in New Zealand but now living in the UK, was excited to bring his baby boy home.
"First time, 18 months old. Mum and Dad have met him but my brother and friends and lot of other people haven't, so plenty of introductions."
Another man had no idea it was the first day of international flights and just found himself a bit bewildered at all the commotion. He was expecting "an empty airport", but instead got a waiata welcome, 10 news cameras, and the Minister of Tourism handing out lollies.
Others, looking a bit haggard after a 12 hour overnight flight, shied away from the cameras.
David, from Cincinnati, had a long flight but already feels home.
"About 32 hours of travel in the end. I'm exhausted, but this is all worth it. I'm here to stay... at least for a year."
Arriving travellers must take a rapid antigen test on their first and fifth days in the country, which they're given as they arrive.
In the meantime they can go wherever they like, no quarantine, just out the door to explore New Zealand.
A historic and entirely unprecedented decision to close the border 767 days ago has ended - New Zealand is now "open for business".