Tourism bodies are calling for a single Australia-New Zealand visa to boost international visitor numbers on both sides of the Tasman. In a joint statement on Saturday, the heads of two tourism bodies, TTF Australia and Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA), welcomed a visa that would make it easier for travelers to visit both countries, Reuters reported. “Australia and New Zealand are long-haul destinations – it makes a lot of sense for us to package the two countries together,” said TFF Chief Executive Margy Osmond. “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,” she said. The two tourism bodies said they had written to Australian immigration Minister Peter Dutton asking for the trans-Tasman visa to be made permanent by the end of the year. Australia and New Zealand trialed a regional visa during last year’s Cricket World Cup, which they jointly hosted. Chris Roberts, chief executive of the TIA, said the Cricket World Cup showed the arrangement can work. “We just need the will of our governments to bring down this travel barrier between our countries permanently,” he said.
