A website has been launched with the aim of educating freedom campers on the do's and do not's of travelling New Zealand in a camper van.
Tourism Industry Aotearoa chief Executive Chris Roberts, speaking this morning to TVNZ 1's Breakfast programme, said more and more Kiwis are adopting this way of travel, as are overseas visitors.
"We've relaunched the website freedomcamping.org as a one-stop shop information about freedom camping in New Zealand," Mr Roberts said.
"What the rules are, the regulations are, how we define freedom camping and the expectations of behaviour - what's acceptable and what's not.
Mr Roberts said freedom campers are good contributors to New Zealand's tourism economy, spending about $500m annually.
"They actually spend more than the average visitor because all that money they're saving on accommodation they are spending on activities and other things," he said.
Only a "small minority" of freedom campers act inappropriately, he said, and "that's well publicised when things go wrong.
"There's a lot of effort going in across government and in the private sector to get the rules in place and to get the behaviour correct," Mr Roberts said.
"People don't come here wanting to upset local communities - they want to do the right thing and if they know the rules, know where to camp ... something like this website can help them do that."
SHARE ME