Kiwis booking on great walks doubles

> I wonder if DOC has a clear and implementable definition of residence in terms of entitlement to the differential pricing. I expect not Is this what you mean? https://www.doc.govt.nz/news/great-walks-differential-pricing-trial-2018-19/eligibility/ You're eligible for the NZ resident prices if you are a New Zealand citizen, OR if you're from the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau, OR if: * you hold a residence class student or work visa, AND * you've lived in NZ for at least 6 of the 12 months prior to the booking, AND * NZ is established as your primary place of residence. Exactly how rangers in the field apply this in practice with often-limited communication and means to enforce it is another question.

Further to this, scrolling down that page says: > If you have paid the New Zealand rate for DOC huts or campsites in the trial areas and you cannot demonstrate your elegibility for this when asked to by DOC staff, you will need to pay the difference between the New Zealand rate you have already paid and the international rate. You will also need to pay an additional administration fee. Surely if this is the only thing that happens, it just creates a strong incentive for people to simply say they're New Zealanders, unless the "administration fee" is really really big. Then take some cash along just in case, but play dumb and pay up if they get caught.

Interestingly I note that Waikaremoana is now only $32 per hut per night, whereas previously that had a seasonal rate of $65 and $32 dollars outside of the high season. I haven't checked further but I wonder if other tracks have taken on lower fees and how does this affect the overall revenue take as a whole. Rates for New Zealander have not changed on the Milford, so if the figures are correct and a significant number of NZ's are booking instead of overseas visitors there is no doubt a hit on revenue projections there as well.

waikaremoana is barely booked at all over xmas, still plenty of free spaces and few nights have been booked solid at many of the huts...

That's an important thing to note because it shows that simply creating new Great Walks, and more places for people to go if they choose to, won't necessarily solve the problems around Milford etc.

tourism in otago is massive and highly developed, the scenery is as good as you'll find anywhere, the infrastructure is good, you can fly into queenstown and its a short trip to the routeburn and various other oversubscribed walks in summer. the proxmity of so many good walks with good tourism infrastcuture just increases the popularity, theres plenty of people going there with plenty of disposable income to spend on great walks