Tourists to pay more than locals on most popular Great Walks

June 2, 2018

From October this year tourists will have to pay double to stay in tramping hits on four main Great Walks

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage has announced that international tourists will pay twice the amount as local visitors to stay overnight at four of our nine great walks.

Currently, the Department of Conservation spends $4 million a year more than it earns maintaining our national parks.

"It's just ensuring that there's a fair pricing system for New Zealanders and that our international visitors are contributing to the cost of providing these facilities and maintaining them." Eugenie Sage says.

"Our great walks are premiere walking tracks through beautiful natural areas and we need to to be pricing that accordingly."

Under the trial which runs from this October until next April, local visitors to the Abel Tasman hut will pay $38 a night versus overseas visitors who will pay $75.

The Routeburn and Kepler tracks will charge $65 for locals and $130 for international visitors and the Milford Track, $70 and $140 respectively.

Chief Executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa Chris Roberts welcomes the change as a better alternative to the recently suggested airport surcharge for international visitors.

"Targetting better user pays is far more fair than a blanket charge at the border which half the people paying for won't be benefitting from," says Mr Roberts.

The government hopes to raise an additional $2.9 million in the trial.

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