Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu seen from the top of Bob's peak in Queenstown, New Zealand on Sept. 9.
Photographer: Mark Coote/Bloomberg
A Tourist Town Seeks a Reset in a World Without Foreign Travel
In a picturesque corner of New Zealand, businesses are cutting costs — and the notoriously high cost of living is moderating.
In a normal year, international tourism is New Zealand’s biggest export — and with its majestic alpine scenery, adventure sports and vineyards, Queenstown is usually booming.
But with the country’s border closed since March 19, there are fewer foreign accents to be heard in the resort town. Bars are shuttered, jet boats sit out of the river for half the week, and one of the area’s biggest ski fields is closed Monday to Friday.