foreigners pay double on southern great walks

If it encourages tourists to sit the road-rules test it wouldn't be all bad though (re suggestion people would get a kiwi drivers license to avoid paying overseas rates on walks)! A few more knowing nz's unique give way rules for junctions with sliplanes and the 20kph school bus rule might save a few prangs.

>No one likes to be ripped off, and charging someone twice the price is bound to make them think they are being. Well yeah, but you see visitors being charged twice the price whereas others will see it as local residents being charged half the price. >Many though will either seek out Great Walks without the double charge, or other huts and walks putting extra pressure on those instead, That's part of the stated intent, though. DOC and the Minister want to encourage tourists to visit the other Great Walks instead of everyone trying to intensely focus on the most popular ones which are struggling to cope. Whether it works out that way, let alone gets anyone what they think they really want, is another question entirely.

To implement a system of charges based on where you come from is lunacy at it's best. Where do you make the decision, how do you ensure it is fair and equitable, and how exactly will it be policed to ensure all are paying as per expectation. If the Great Walks are not covering costs then all who walk them should be paying an increase, an increase that will ensure costs are covered. The issue of under 18's not being charged also needs addressing. I doubt that this is having much of an influence in getting the young out of the comfort zone of their laptops and phone screens to explore the great outdoors. Perhaps what it does ensure is that families with an outdoor interest use it to take their children on a reasonably priced tramp. But then looking at it from the other side each none paying child prevents a full paying adult from making a trip. A recent trip through Waikaremoana highlighted this for me, full huts and at least 10 under 18 each night, presumably non payers. Plus perhaps a few more under 18, one group of 2 adults and 6 children, what is the criteria here, accompanied by an adult or parent. I don't believe all were. Where do you stop introducing additional charges. Charges should be fair and equitable and all should pay. As for children, can we get back to classifying anyone under 12 years of age as a child. I would hardly classify anyone under 18 as a child (albeit many behave that way). Then set a lower rate for children. If the overall scheme of things is to be improved then I reiterate what I have said on other occasions. A flat rate border tax of 100 -150 charged at the border applicable to all visitors to this country should be levied. The only exemptions would be for holders of a NZ passport or residency, they in effect are not visitors (yes I know some are, the numbers are so small it is not worth bothering with). Border tax/fees/levies, whatever, collected should not be lumped in with the general tax take for governments to fiddle with, as they invariably do. Instead it should be passed direct to Doc to enhance the experiences of us all, and cover the costs to police charging systems, hut and facilities management, track maintenance and all activities associated with conservation. This is a simple solution easily set in place along with all the other charges made in booking airfares and travel arrangements to this country, of which there are many if an article I read this past month is anything to go by. It is also the fairest and most equitable means for us to cover what needs to be covered. Yes I hear you, not everyone goes into the bush, or tramps, or whatever. But they all travel our country, they are all taken to some scenic or interesting spot to enjoy some natural wonder and thus make use of our environment, therefore they should expect to pay for the privilege so that we may maintain it and preserve what we have for future generations to enjoy. The tourists that subsequently refuse to come here because of such a levy/tax wont be missed as they most likely would prove to be the ones that would have freeloaded anyway. If we keep following the path we are on there will be damn all for anyone in 50 years time to enjoy.

>Border tax/fees/levies, whatever, collected should not be lumped in with the general tax take for governments to fiddle with, as they invariably do. I don't know how this could *ever* be guaranteed. Even if it's legislatively tied to DOC (which would be a political challenge because the eyes of local councils and tourism operators also light up), there's always a possibility that a future government will decide that DOC has that source of funding so it doesn't need as much public funding. Then DOC's funding, and possibly our future ability to manage our natural environment, ends up being tied to the revenue of international tourism and travel rather than a public commitment. The potential increases to DOC's funding from something like a border levy are a drop in the bucket compared with NZ's annual tax intake and everything else covered by the annual budget turnover. The real issue here is that we, as a population, don't value DOC's role enough to give it the money it needs to do what we want it to do when compared with alternatives like paying for health or education or throwing people in jail or taking back tax cuts.

Ehy guys a price list is already available ? Does the increase would significant ? Italian passport holder..but resident in Australia...I wonder How much will cost me my next great walk...

its in the article

thank you!jeez that's a lot of money...but what can I say...probably it's good to see more untouched trekking...like Matukituki valley... I understand though why price is going up...there is a lot of maintenance to be done I suppose...but 50 % more I think is a bit too much for a bunk bed and toilette.

they have to fly all the human waste out, fly fuel in. track maintenance is massive in a lot of the great walks. erosion and fallen trees quickly swallow up the tracks.. you should see them before they work on them before the summer season..

I get your point definitely...but for foreigners like me that have to pay for flights insurance a trip start to get more expensive...but As I say before there is plenty of hikes that you can do standard...so it's fine.

Matukituki: untouched? It's been logged, farmed and gets several hundred visitors a day in peak season. If from a rest-of-the-world perspective, that's 'untouched', it just makes me so glad I live in NZ where I can have the luxury of considering that 'overworked and overrun'!