In December, Cabinet agreed in principle to establish a travel bubble with Australia in the first three months of this year.
While the news was welcomed, those in the tourism industry said they needed to ensure there was enough time to get ready for an influx of overseas visitors.
The managing director of the Scenic Hotel Group, Brendan Taylor, said it would take two to three months for the airlines to ramp up, if the borders reopened.
He said operators needed time to prepare and ensure they have enough staff to cater for incoming guests.