Charge for our walks

Writing as an avid tourist in both New Zealand and overseas, I believe I have an insight into both sides of a highly contentious argument. Firstly, there are precious few worthwhile walks, let alone “great walks” overseas that can be undertaken without considerable cost: either by an “entry fee” or a car parking payment. In the UK and much of Europe particularly, there are stiff “pay and display” fees in even the most obscure sites, with eye-watering penalties should they be ignored.

Secondly, it is utter nonsense to argue any modest form of tax will upset our tourist industry. When a tourist has spent several thousand dollars getting here, quite often rents a motor vehicle for several weeks and is happy to shell out significant sums to jump off a bridge or leap out of an plane, I doubt a modest fee to park a car or enter a National Park will deter them.

I have this week hosted a German tourist who walked the Tongariro Crossing, a so-called Great Walk. In her words it could have been spectacular but was destroyed by the thousands of people in a virtual queue, the constant chatter and a total lack of the ambience.

Her first comment was it needed an entry fee, vastly reduced numbers and controls over clothing and footwear.

I think we are killing the chicken that laid the golden egg and not being totally fair on the New Zealand taxpayer who is footing the bill for initiating and maintaining our world-class natural resources. Where else in the world is a broken leg rewarded by a free helicopter to a free hospital? A very old saying: if it’s free, it has no value.

Robert Burrow, Taupo.