Songs, tears and reunions: New Zealand welcomes back visitors as border reopens after two years

Two people embrace after a flight from Los Angeles arrived at Auckland internatoinal airport as New Zealand's border opened for visa-waiver countries. Photograph: Jed Bradley/AP

Māori songs, tearful embraces and a beloved New Zealand chocolate bar awaited international visitors arriving in New Zealand on Monday – the first foreign guests, other than Australians, to set foot in Aotearoa in more than two years.

Since March 2020, the arrival terminals at New Zealand’s international airports have been desolate as the country swiftly closed the border to prevent the arrival of Covid-19.