Jacinda Ardern will visit Australia this year - breaking a two-year stint spent solely in New Zealand - but is unlikely to do so until the Aussie election is won and done.
As she unveiled a reconnection strategy for NZ on Thursday, the prime minister confirmed she would undertake four trade missions in 2022.
"Reconnecting New Zealand is of course more than the family and friends who will be reunited," she said.
"It is also a critical element in our plan for a high wage, low carbon economy.
"I see this as a key part of my role and that's why I am confirming today that I will lead trade delegations and trade-supporting visits into four key markets this year - Australia, Asia, the United States and Europe."
The trans-Tasman leaders usually meet early each year for annual Australia-New Zealand Leaders Meeting.
In 2020, Ms Ardern met with Scott Morrison in Sydney, memorably telling the Australian prime minister not to "deport your people and your problems".
Last year, the pair delayed their talks until April when the trans-Tasman bubble opened.
They met in Queenstown amid less controversy, swapping soccer shirts in recognition of the co-hosted 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Ms Ardern also planned a business-orientated trip to Australia in August, cancelling it at the last minute due to rising COVID-19 case numbers in New South Wales.
The Labour leader said the forthcoming federal election, due by the end of May, figured prominently in her travel thoughts.
"I won't give away the sequencing but one of the things we need to factor in is they will have an election at some period in the first part of the year ... it should be a time that's convenient for everyone," she said.
Ms Ardern enjoys a strong following overseas, and has regularly won polls as the favourite international leader of Australians.
She said her travel was destined to sell NZ's exports to the world.
"New Zealand is in demand. Our exports are at record highs. People want to live and work here. International students want to study here," she said.
Ms Ardern told AAP in an interview in December the Asian trip is unlikely to involve China, which is maintaining strict border controls as part of a COVID-zero policy.
While she is preparing to pack her bags, there are unlikely to be any international leaders heading to NZ any time soon.
The country is shifting from mandatory quarantine on arrival to mandatory self-isolation on arrival, but is yet to lay out a timetable for ditching those restrictions, and won't be issuing any exemptions.
Ms Ardern's Sydney visit in February 2020 was the last time she left the country.
