Fully vaccinated tourists will be allowed into the country sooner than expected, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern saying a final reopening date will be announced tomorrow. 

Originally such travellers from Australia and visa-waiver countries could arrive MIQ-free no later than July, and visitors from anywhere in the world from October. 

Airlines and tourism groups have been increasingly worried the longer it took, tourism and hospitality businesses would suffer irreparable harm, particularly if self-isolation requirements remained. 

However, as the Omicron outbreak rapidly overtook infection rates of new arrivals the Government dropped self-isolation requirements for returning New Zealanders and has been considering those impacts in its decision on when to open up further. 

There were 22 cases reported at the border on Monday, a slight increase from before the changes to MIQ at the end of February despite arrivals roughly quadrupling. 

The seven-day rolling average of community cases meanwhile is 19,566. 

Ardern said today as the peak of Omicron neared the risk profile of new arrivals had changed further and the Government was looking to bring forward those dates. 

"The point we've come off the peak of Omicron is when the experts have said it will be possible to reopen the borders more broadly." 

She said they were working as quickly as possible to give certainty to the tourism industry and factor in peak demand. 

With case numbers continuing to plateau a reopening to Australians before the next school holidays around Easter appears a possibility. 

Asked about if they needed to be more cautious around the more contagious BA.2 subvariant of Omicron, Ardern said that would have little impact as it was already highly prevalent here. 

It comes as 15,540 new community cases of Covid-19 were reported on Monday, with numbers in Auckland remaining on a downward trend, but schools across the country still feeling the impact of the Omicron outbreak. 

Two Covid-related deaths were reported and there were 952 people in hospital, including 19 in intensive care, with the virus. 

The ministry has been asked for a breakdown of those hospitalised as "with Covid" and "because of Covid" but the Herald had no reply by deadline. 

The total number of publicly-reported Covid-19 related deaths to date is now 115. 

The latest statistics show those who are unvaccinated are five times over-represented in hospitalisation figures. 

Meanwhile, the tourism industry is gearing up for the reopening, including Tourism New Zealand launching a new ad campaign. 

From today Working Holiday Visa holders and some skilled workers can enter New Zealand with no self-isolation requirements. 

Tourism Industry Aotearoa spokeswoman Ann-Marie Johnson said they would provide a welcome boost to the industry. 

"Tourism was the first industry to be affected by the pandemic and will be the last to recover. 

"We are heartened that the Government has signalled that our borders are likely to open to international visitors sooner than planned and we are keen to see the new timeline which is expected imminently." 

Johnson said reopening to Australian visitors in time for their April school holiday period which includes Easter would be ideal.