Tourism Minister and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash is visiting Southland today and tomorrow but was keeping a lid on talk of the trans-Tasman travel bubble opening in mid-April.

Radio New Zealand reported at noon that Mr Nash was likely to discuss more details around the opening of the trans-Tasman tourism bubble in Queenstown on Friday, where he is scheduled to speak at the Otago University’s Tourism Policy School.

The main issues would be reimagining what tourism would look like when the borders opened, and a timeframe for reopening borders, RNZ reported.

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RNZ later reported Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern hoped to be able to confirm the travel bubble "very soon" but could not put a date on quarantine-free travel.

Mr Nash began his Southland tour in Invercargill this morning, where he met with the Invercargill mayor Sir Tim Shadbolt, Gore mayor Tracy Hicks, Southland mayor Gary Tong and the regional development agency, Great South.

Mr Nash also visited the city centre rebuild project.

He was travelling to Fiordland this afternoon for a meeting with tourism operators.

Several major news outlets, including Radio New Zealand, reported today that there were plans to have the trans-Tasman travel bubble operating by mid-April, with more details to be thrashed out by Cabinet early next week.

Tourism operators around New Zealand have been putting pressure on the government to do more to assist the once-booming industry in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and border closures.

Read more HERE and HERE.