Ski areas in New Zealand have been celebrating the arrival of cold and snowy weather in the past 24 hours.
Ski slopes in the country have turned white and with more cold weather forecast and the likely start of the season only three weeks away, resorts have been turning on their snowmaking systems too.
This should be the first ski season since 2019 when international skiers have been permitted to return to the country. An attempt to form a ‘bubble’ with Australia last winter broke down due to virus surges almost as soon as it started.
Unlike the rest of the world New Zealand’s ski areas operated relatively normally for people living in New Zealand during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, with no masks and no social distancing required for much of the time, due to the suppression of the virus and closed borders policy in the country.
Early reports indicate that bookings from the key overseas market of Australia are above 2019 levels however, the last full season before the pandemic.
Entry to New Zealand is currently limited to citizens of some countries but that list is due to be expanded as the season progresses, all being well.
