National park fees for foreigners scoped

[wayno]

Overseas visitors could face new charges to visit national parks.

Associate Tourism Minister Paula Bennett says the work is underway to look at ways of extending charging of foreign visitors to national parks.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news ... d=11638125

[GPSGuided]

Is this positive or not for NZ?

[wayno]

positive for DOC who are starved of money to administer the national parks and are letting tracks and huts disappear

[GPSGuided]

Is this differential pricing good for NZ's national image and tourism trade?

[wayno]

Is this differential pricing good for NZ's national image and tourism trade?

I couldnt give a stuff. DOC are over worked and under resourced because of international tourism and htey need a big injection of money to resource htem appropriately

[tastrax]

Is this differential pricing good for NZ's national image and tourism trade?

I couldnt give a stuff. DOC are over worked and under resourced because of international tourism and htey need a big injection of money to resource htem appropriately

So long as DOC get the funds and don't get a commensurate reduction in their existing budget I am all for it.

[GPSGuided]

Be interesting to see how the NZ Govt will implement this. As for stating DOC is overworked and under-budgeted from international tourists, well, the root issue is the govt is not diverting the increased tourism revenue to DOC. From my perspective, the differential treatment of international tourists will only negatively affect NZ as a holiday destination. It's discriminatory and not as if NZ is a developing third world country that's being exploited by first world country tourists. All parties have choices.

[wayno]

some aussie states already charge an entry fee, in america they charge, few people will notice a difference given they spend hundreds or thousands to get to NZ. guided tour groups will probably automatically sort out the entry fees.

[GBW]

some aussie states already charge an entry fee

But I don't think they discriminate between citizen/non-citizen.

[GPSGuided]

Which Aussie state charge an extra entry fee on overseas visitors? Where in the US do they charge tourists extra?

At present I am only aware of some third world developing countries charge a premium for international tourists on museum/park tickets, or rather a significant discount to locals to ensure they have equal access due to their lower income. Rather embarrassing to see similar in a first world country.

Well, it's NZ's choice and we'll see the consequence. It's not the way to promote oneself as a tourism destination.

[wayno]

if you like coming to nz to walk on the track or use the huts, if you like seeing the bird life, then pay for it because theres going to be less of them available in the future if you don't

[GPSGuided]

If NZ is so short of funds, then might as well add a tourism surcharge on all plane tickets headed for it. It's a sign saying 'Come visit us and you'll be discriminated', it'll add a grain of salt to that successful '100% Pure' tourism campaign.

Similarly, should Aust and State govt add a new tax to any NZers working here in Aust? The work (tourism dollar) is not enough contribution to the local economy and we want more. No, not a good image.

[wayno]

thats fine, dont come, theres far bigger problems in the world than making foreigners pay a few dollars on top of all the money spent to get here. people want their cake and eat it. the tracks and huts don't build themselves when you're over here enjoying them....

[GPSGuided]

thats fine, dont come, theres far bigger problems in the world than making foreigners pay a few dollars on top of all the money spent to get here. people want their cake and eat it. the tracks and huts don't build themselves when you're over here enjoying them....

The fact is, it's NZ that's promoting itself and trying to have a bigger tourism dollar pie. It's a two way trade or it's shooting one's own foot.

[wayno]

we have too many tourists to cope with at present the govt is over stretching the infrastructure by continuing to promote more tourism,

[GPSGuided]

we have too many tourists to cope with at present the govt is over stretching the infrastructure by continuing to promote more tourism,

Then the govt can scale down its tourism drive and accept the reduced revenue. The quickest way to destroy a 'business' is by ruining its reputation.

[Nuts]

Of course our collective forefathers didn't have a business model in mind, that's a new take on 'progress'.
Consider it proportional carbon pricing, market that?
Or heaven forbid, give pollies a good slapping and have them get back to work, cap the gravy train and come up with some real solutions, first world 'industry'.

[wayno]

most NZ towns are small, anything from a few thousand down to literally a few dozen people and a lot of "towns" are just a school or a pub at a crossroads.... when you've got three and a half million tourists who are mainly here to see the countryside, you've got problems, freedom campers are a real problem, there arent enough facilities for free camping to accommodate them and they cause real messes.
our only really big city is auckland its the size of adelaide the other major cities are far smaller, we dont have multiple big cities to soak up the tourist no's..

[GPSGuided]

If the issue is on towns and country roads, then upping tramping fee is not the solution. As suggested, NZ needs to make a decision on how much the country wants tourists. The valve is at marketing and visa control, not after the tourists have come in. In many other places, these are treasured opportunities for the country folks to gain business and job opportunities. Of course, that's a decision for the locals.

[wayno]

mate i've already said there is also an issue on tracks and huts and the birdlife, you name it, its affected affected by the high no's of tourists
our govt are neo classical economic capitalists. just keep the money rolling into the businesses even if it messes the rest of the country

[GPSGuided]

Yes, so the govt is willing to ruin the international reputation of NZ for their money pinching on DOC.

[north-north-west]

A briefing from the Ministry of Economic Development said access to major Government-owned tourism assets was "often free or heavily subsidised".

National Parks aren't 'Government' owned, they belong to the country - essentially to all New Zealand citizens.
I'm with tastrax on this - as long as the extra funds go directly to DOC without any impact on other finances, it's fine. The funds to maintain the parks have to come from somewhere and the *&%$#! Government certainly isn't interested in appropriate financial support.

[GPSGuided]

If such is the logic, then nothing is 'Government owned'. And further the government has the legal authority from the citizen to administer. Vote them out if one has the numbers.

[wayno]

we have various forests that are so infested with pests that the forests are starting to collapse from over grazing, no new growth can come through to replace the old growth. theres no money to deal effectively with all the pests, all we can do is poison limited areas to be able to keep those areas relatively intact.

[GPSGuided]

Sounds like the citizens of NZ need to make this a political issue and get traction there. What I will say, extracting money from tourists using differential pricing is but a short term solution and likely to be of limited quantum. With cyclical and flavour changes to this sector, it's not a durable funding model. Good luck.

[wayno]

the govt has taken $50 million out of the annual doc budget and frozen their budget for years, user pays is the only way money is going to come back to the DOC estate with the current govt

[GPSGuided]

the govt has taken $50 million out of the annual doc budget and frozen their budget for years, user pays is the only way money is going to come back to the DOC estate with the current govt

Yes, no problem with the 'user pay' model as our societies are all going in that direction over the last 10 years. However, differential treatment of visitors (who have already elected to spend their holiday dollars there) does not bode well, just as for how one treats gift bearing visitors to one's home.

[RonK]

we have too many tourists to cope with at present the govt is over stretching the infrastructure by continuing to promote more tourism,

NZ probably do well to follow the example of Jigme Singye Wangchuck.

Keep the rifraf out, control the numbers and make a motza.

[tastrax]

I think differential pricing was considered in Tasmania for charging non-Tasmanians but, (if I remember correctly) it's against the constitution. As for international tourists, well that might be different and would probably be easiest via some "airport tax" but of course no airline would want to collect it on behalf of the government.

[tastrax]

A few places tax tourist arrivals

http://www.ibtimes.com.au/thailand-slap ... 14-1320927

http://nomadcapitalist.com/2013/07/15/v ... urist-tax/

http://m.state.gov/md20129.htm