NZ Expecting More International Acts

Acts and support crew will be able to travel with visitor visas rather than work visas as long as the tour is promoted by a local company.

“Cutting the red tape will make it much easier and cheaper for the world’s top performers and their entourages to come to New Zealand,” said Tourism Industry Association New Zealand’s policy and research manager, Simon Wallace.

Reducing travel barriers is part of the association’s goal to double annual tourism revenue to NZ$41 billion ($34.91 billion) over the next decade. Wallace expects more major international names to be drawn to New Zealand.

Tour promoters have long complained getting work visas for each individual in a band and entourage is costly and time-consuming especially when a tour can include up to 150 people.

Under current rules, entourage members have to relinquish their passport to New Zealand authorities in their home countries for seven to 10 days, an impossibility if an act is touring globally.