New Zealand’s Great Walks to See Price Hikes

New Zealand’s famous nine Great Walks will soon see a sharp price increase for overseas visitors staying at huts and campsites along the routes.

The rates will double starting October 2018, on the five most popular treks: Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Abel Tasman and Tongariro. There will also be a 50 percent increase on those at Lake Waikaremoana, Whanganui River, Heaphy and Rakiura.

“The nine Great Walks are among New Zealand’s most popular visitor attractions, but they run at an $1 million annual loss,” said Maggie Barry, conservation minister, in a statement. “We believe it’s fair that international visitors who experience our Great Walks pay a little more to enjoy our landscape and contribute to protecting our native wildlife.”

Price increases will affect only those visiting from outside of New Zealand; fees will remain the same for New Zealanders.

Huts at the Milford Track will jump from $70 per night to $140 per night. Some 60 percent of the 117,000 visitors who took to the trails in 2016 were international tourists, so revenue is expected to spike to the tune of $4 million per year, says Barry.

“I think people have been feeling for a very long time that they are getting a bargain,” she said, although it remains to be seen whether international visitors will agree.