Kiwis may jump parks queues

New Zealanders could get preferential access to popular walks under a ‘‘Kiwi Share’’ system.

Department of Conservation (DOC) figures show the proportion of Kiwis tramping the country’s nine Great Walks has fallen every year since 2012, from just under half in 2012/13, to 38 per cent in 2016/17.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced on Saturday that international tourists would pay double for the four most popular Great Walks, to help pay for tourist infrastructure.

Federated Mountain Clubs wants DOC to go further. The organisation is working with the department on a ‘‘Kiwi Share’’ concept, which would give New Zealanders preferential booking for huts and weeks reserved entirely for Kiwis in popular areas.

‘‘Kiwi Share is a banner for a range of mechanisms to make sure New Zealanders still get preferential access to our own land,’’ said FMC president Peter Wilson, who also wanted the booking system tweaked to allow huts to be booked using an annual hut pass.

The pass – intended as a cheap way for Kiwis to enjoy the back country – was increasingly being devalued as more and more huts were added to the booking system to manage track overcrowding.

Sage said no decision had been made about preferential booking rights for Kiwis, but she had asked DOC to look at the logistics.

Director-General of Conservation Lou Sanson said DOC’s new booking system would allow the department to differentiate between Kiwis and international tourists, and might be capable of further development to give Kiwis preferential access.

Forest & Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said while he backed greater access for Kiwis to their national parks, the bigger question was why DOC was having to find more complex ways to manage visitors.

‘‘Because we have the problem of just too many people . . . it’s all about volume, not value.’’