After a two-year quarantine due to the pandemic, New Zealand is now available to travelers.

After a pandemic lockup of more than two years, New Zealand has reopened its borders to more overseas tourists.

On Monday, passengers arrived at Auckland Airport, many of whom were looking forward to emotional reunions with family and friends.

Vaccinated and Covid-negative people from more than 60 nations are now allowed to enter the country.

Since March, citizens have been able to travel in and out, while Australians have been allowed in since April.

One American man stated he traveled from Cincinnati to be with his partner. He had been waiting since he applied for the visa in February 2020.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time. It's my first time in this country, and I've never been within 6,000 miles of it. I'm home. It's the best feeling I've ever had," David Benson told the BBC.

Garth Halliday, a British man who has lived in New Zealand for 30 years, said he and his wife were at the airport to greet their son, daughter-in-law, and 18-month-old grandson.

"Family becomes more essential as you get older, and I'm getting older. We've now gathered three generations in one place "he stated

In March 2020, New Zealand closed its borders, compelling even returning citizens to undergo weeks of quarantine upon entry.

The government has credited its isolation approach, as well as measures of swift testing, tracing, and lockdown, for the nation's low Covid death toll of 713 deaths for a population of five million.

The government opted to stagger the transition from a Covid eradication effort to living with the virus after the widespread of the Delta and subsequently Omicron versions.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the South Pacific nation was "ready to welcome the world back" when the border was reopened earlier this year.

New Zealand's economy is strongly reliant on international tourism, and operators have expressed excitement about the revival of business.

The first flights arriving on Monday, according to an Air New Zealand spokeswoman, contained both guests and returning citizens.

"They'll be overjoyed to be back on New Zealand shores, reconnecting with family, beginning their studies, or expanding their enterprises," said Leanne Geraghty.

"It's wonderful that overseas tourists will be able to visit our lovely country once more."