South Westland businesses say the border reopening dates mean they can start edging out of survival mode after two years of hanging on by their fingernails.
Close to 400 jobs were lost in the area during the first year of the pandemic - a particularly brutal blow for a population of just over 1000 pre-Covid.
But from mid-next month Australians will be welcomed back with no need to isolate - other visa waiver countries can follow a few weeks later.
Tourism reporter Tess Brunton has more.
