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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/04/new-zealand-to-charge-foreign-tourists-to-visit-most-famous-sites
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| New Zealand to charge foreign tourists to visit most famous sites | New Zealand to charge foreign tourists to visit most famous sites |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| Visitors to pay up to NZ$40 to access certain attractions in coming years amid overhaul of conservation laws | Visitors to pay up to NZ$40 to access certain attractions in coming years amid overhaul of conservation laws |
| New Zealand plans to start charging international tourists fees to enter its famous natural sites and will make it easier for businesses to operate on conservation land as part of a controversial proposal to “unleash” growth on ecologically and culturally protected areas. | New Zealand plans to start charging international tourists fees to enter its famous natural sites and will make it easier for businesses to operate on conservation land as part of a controversial proposal to “unleash” growth on ecologically and culturally protected areas. |
| The government plans to start charging foreign visitors NZ$20-40 ($12-24) per person to access some sites. Initially, those would probably include Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Sound and Aoraki Mount Cook. The fees are likely to be imposed from 2027. | |
| The conservation minister, Tama Potaka, said those fees could generate NZ$62m a year “so we can keep investing in the sites that underpin so much of our tourism sector”. | The conservation minister, Tama Potaka, said those fees could generate NZ$62m a year “so we can keep investing in the sites that underpin so much of our tourism sector”. |
| The government’s announcements form part of a wider shake-up of conservation law that will also make selling or exchanging conservation land easier and allow more activities to go ahead on conservation without needing a permit. | The government’s announcements form part of a wider shake-up of conservation law that will also make selling or exchanging conservation land easier and allow more activities to go ahead on conservation without needing a permit. |
| “In the spirit of saying yes to more jobs, more growth and higher wages”, the government would “unleash a fresh wave of concessions” including in tourism, agriculture and infrastructure at some locations, the prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said on Saturday. | “In the spirit of saying yes to more jobs, more growth and higher wages”, the government would “unleash a fresh wave of concessions” including in tourism, agriculture and infrastructure at some locations, the prime minister, Christopher Luxon, said on Saturday. |
| Conservation land is protected, publicly owned land and makes up a third of New Zealand territory. It covers areas with biodiversity, historic or cultural value. | Conservation land is protected, publicly owned land and makes up a third of New Zealand territory. It covers areas with biodiversity, historic or cultural value. |
| Some businesses such as ski fields and grazing already operated on conservation land but many other businesses struggled to gain the same permission, Luxon said. | Some businesses such as ski fields and grazing already operated on conservation land but many other businesses struggled to gain the same permission, Luxon said. |
| It is the latest policy that seeks to loosen regulation on natural sites and species to enable economic growth. In 2024, the government passed a law that could see contentious mining and infrastructure projects fast-tracked for approval. It has also proposed a law change to make it easier for companies to kill protected wildlife in order to pursue certain infrastructure projects. Conservation and climate initiatives have also faced budget cuts. | It is the latest policy that seeks to loosen regulation on natural sites and species to enable economic growth. In 2024, the government passed a law that could see contentious mining and infrastructure projects fast-tracked for approval. It has also proposed a law change to make it easier for companies to kill protected wildlife in order to pursue certain infrastructure projects. Conservation and climate initiatives have also faced budget cuts. |
| But critics say the changes risk harming the environment and vulnerable species. New Zealand has high rates of endemic biodiversity but some species are in worrying decline, with a high proportion threatened or at risk of extinction. | But critics say the changes risk harming the environment and vulnerable species. New Zealand has high rates of endemic biodiversity but some species are in worrying decline, with a high proportion threatened or at risk of extinction. |
| Green party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said Luxon was putting profit above the protection of nature. | Green party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said Luxon was putting profit above the protection of nature. |
| “That tells us everything we need to know about who he thinks he works for. It’s not regular people, future generations or a healthy environment,” she said in a statement to the Guardian. | “That tells us everything we need to know about who he thinks he works for. It’s not regular people, future generations or a healthy environment,” she said in a statement to the Guardian. |
| Nicola Toki, the chief executive of New Zealand’s largest conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, said the latest reforms “represent the most significant weakening of conservation law in a generation” and would increase pressure on vulnerable species. | Nicola Toki, the chief executive of New Zealand’s largest conservation organisation, Forest & Bird, said the latest reforms “represent the most significant weakening of conservation law in a generation” and would increase pressure on vulnerable species. |
| “They shift the focus from protection to exploitation, dismantling the very purpose of our national parks and conservation lands.” | “They shift the focus from protection to exploitation, dismantling the very purpose of our national parks and conservation lands.” |
| This story was amended on 5 August 2025 to reflect new information provided by the government that fees will apply to Milford Sound, not Milford Track. | |
| This story was amended on 5 August 2025 to reflect new information provided by the government that fees will apply to Milford Sound, not Milford Track. |