The Cook Islands bubble will open later this month, allowing two-way quarantine-free travel between both countries, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
Cabinet ministers have this afternoon signed off on a 17 May start date, pending final confirmation by New Zealand's Director-General of Health and the Cook Islands Secretary of Health.
It will be subject to final checks such as airline and airport preparedness.
New Zealand would be providing the Cook Islands with enough vaccine to immunise its population. That roll-out would also commence later this month but is not considered a pre-condition for the bubble.
"There is no vaccination under way in the Cooks," she said, but the population in Rarotonga was worth one day's vaccination in New Zealand.
As for travel between Australia, Cook Islands and New Zealand, she said at this stage, the Cook Islands were asking anyone travelling from Australia to go via New Zealand, but that could change.
"Having that triangular movement is something we are very open to."
Ardern said a huge amount of work had gone into ensuring the two-way bubble was safe and that the Cook Islands was set up and ready for it.
"This is a world-leading arrangement and it's important to remember many other countries still have bans in place on travel for holiday purposes."
In a statement, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown said it was the start of a journey of recovery.
"Today we get back to business. Today with our joint confirmation of the 17 May, we give our people, and particularly our industry, the certainty necessary to institute remaining preparatory steps to once more welcome visitors to our shores."
The announcement has been a long time coming, after Ardern initially promised the arrangement would be in place by the end of March.
Cook Islanders have been able to fly into New Zealand without quarantine since January.
As for travel bubbles with other countries, Ardern said the government was looking at the realm countries first.
"For Niue, when they're ready, we're ready."
Air NZ already selling return flights
Private sector taskforce chairman Fletcher Melvin told the Cook Islands News publication that a Government source had confirmed that date.
Interestingly, Air New Zealand has flights to Rarotonga available from next Monday, May 10, with one of the cheapest return fares being $613.
There is currently a one-way travel bubble with the Cook Islands - allowing residents to enter New Zealand without having to quarantine for 14 days.
It is one of the few countries in the Pacific, including Tonga, Samoa and Niue, that have been and remain completely free of the virus in the community.
Ardern's comments follow a visit from Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, who became the first international leader to be welcomed onto New Zealand soil since the pandemic turned the world upside down.
Brown, who visited in March, told media then that they were ready for business and for the two-way bubble to start some time in May.
