New Zealand PM Ardern to visit U.S. to boost exports, lure tourists

div classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivpReuters – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will visit the United States this week in a bid to boost exports and lure more tourists as the Pacific nation looks to fully reopen its border after more than two years of restrictions.p

pArderns visit comes as U.S. President Joe Biden is on a fiveday trip to South Korea and Japan. Her public agenda does not include a meeting with Biden, who is expected to return to Washington on Tuesday.pdivdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodiv

p“New Zealands relationship with the United States is one of our most enduring and significant. This mission will feature political and security engagement as well as tourism and trade promotion,” Ardern said in a statement on Monday.p

pBilateral trade between the countries was worth about NZ18.5 billion 12 billion in 2021, with annual growth averaging 5 over the past 15 years, official data showed. p

pU.S. travellers were New Zealands thirdlargest tourism market, forming 10 of total arrivals before the emergence of COVID19. p

p“With travellers planning their visits months before coming in the New Zealand summer, now is the right time to be visible in the U.S. market letting Americans know we are open for business and travel,” Ardern said.p

pNew Zealands closure of its border to noncitizens in March 2020 helped keep COVID19 numbers relatively low. Ardern early this month said the country would fully reopen its border from the end of July. p

pArdern, who will leave on Monday evening after recovering from a recent COVID19 infection, will meet U.N. SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres in New York and senior members of the Senate in Washington, DC. She will also deliver Harvard Universitys commencement address in Boston.p

p1 1.5652 New Zealand dollarsp

p

pp Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney Editing by Bradley Perrettp

divdivdiv classBodysc17zpet90 cdBBJodivdivdiv