New Zealand visa rules loosened in bid to boost tourism

New Zealand has relaxed its visa rules to allow visitors to work remotely while on holiday for up to 90 days.

The country said the move to appeal to “digital nomads” was designed to boost its tourism sector and wider economy by encouraging people to take longer stays.

Immigration minster Erica Standford said: “This is a brand-new market of tourist New Zealand can tap into. We want people to see our country as the ideal place to visit and work while they do it.”

She added that digital nomad visas had worked well for other destinations, adding: “I expect in [visitors’] time here that they will spend longer than they normally would, they will spend more because they’re here for longer, and the thing that we’re really hoping, is that they fall in love with the place.”

According to Reuters, New Zealand’s tourist industry is yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels, with the market currently around 86% of 2019 figures.