The Department of Conservation is consulting on proposals to introduce entry charges for international visitors at ten locations around New Zealand, starting with Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook, Cathedral Cove, and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
In the coastal village of Hahei, the local residents and ratepayers association surveyed households in the town about the issue over summer. John Jonasson, chair of the Hahei Residents and Ratepayers Association, told Checkpoint that around 30 per cent of Hahei households responded, and of those, 72 per cent wanted international visitors to pay to visit Cathedral Cove.
For Jonasson, the big issue was how any charge would be collected, applied, and spent.
"It's got to go back into maintaining the track and enhancing the experience," he said.
Jonasson said there had been talk about building a visitor centre near the start of the track, where a car park would be removed due to land instability. That could provide information about the local area, including its human history, and flora and fauna.
| This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
