National park access charges for tourists mooted
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| Friday, 17th February 2012 |
A Ministry of Economic Development briefing paper presented to Minister of Tourism John Key suggests international visitors be charged to access New Zealand's national parks. The paper states introducing a "direct pricing" policy is a potential way to capture greater revenue returns from international visitors than is currently being achieved.
While international tourism increases demand for the use of national parks, it only benefits New Zealand when it leads to greater revenue, the paper states.
But, because access to national parks "is often free or heavily subsidised", increasing demand "may not translate into value for New Zealand".
Current policy, the paper warned, may in fact "result in negative outcomes for New Zealanders".
These could include increased congestion in national parks, an increase in lower value visitors, environmental degradation caused by increased visitor numbers and inefficient investment in infrastructure.
Tourism Industry Association (TIA) opposes any visitor taxes or access charges. TIA advocacy manager Geoff Ensor told Wilderness tourists can be “treated as cash-cows” during tougher economic times and are already significantly contributing the economy.
"History shows visitor taxes are often hastily adopted with insufficient regard for the potential impact on visitor flow and spending patterns, the practical and cost implications associated with collection and enforcement," Ensor said.
"Certainly visitors are using the full range of assets for which New Zealander’s pay tax, but in return they are contributing $9.7 billion to our economy per year and driving employment for one in ten New Zealanders.
"Ironically, it’s overseas visitors that may help secure the ongoing future of many huts by ensuring a level of use that justifies ongoing investment by DOC.”
Otago University Department of Tourism head Professor James Higham said the debate about whether or not to introduce a parks tax or a national parks access fee has been reoccurring for a long time.
Higham does not support "the blunt instrument" of charging international visitors to access our national parks, saying it may run contrary to the Conservation Act.
"I have seen cases where charges are made at access points to national parks and I don't favour such an overtly commercial model," High said. "However, in such cases there is very little resistance to charges which are generally accepted quite readily by visitors.
"There may be some displacement effects in the short term, but I do not see charging for use of national park facilities as something likely to dramatically reduce the competitiveness of New Zealand as a destination for international visitors as some suggest."
Dr Stephen Espiner from Lincoln University's Department of Social Science, Parks, Recreation, Tourism & Sport agrees.
"I personally don't believe such a tax or fee would turn people away from New Zealand," he told Wilderness. "We have a unique product that is only increasing in value and we have to be very careful we don't sell ourselves down the river.”
However, Espiner believes a general tax included in the departure fees paid by international visitors would be a better way to go than access charges to enter national parks.
"We don't have the infrastructure to collect a fee at the moment and it would be quite difficult in many parks."
While international tourism increases demand for the use of national parks, it only benefits New Zealand when it leads to greater revenue, the paper states.
But, because access to national parks "is often free or heavily subsidised", increasing demand "may not translate into value for New Zealand".
Current policy, the paper warned, may in fact "result in negative outcomes for New Zealanders".
These could include increased congestion in national parks, an increase in lower value visitors, environmental degradation caused by increased visitor numbers and inefficient investment in infrastructure.
Tourism Industry Association (TIA) opposes any visitor taxes or access charges. TIA advocacy manager Geoff Ensor told Wilderness tourists can be “treated as cash-cows” during tougher economic times and are already significantly contributing the economy.
"History shows visitor taxes are often hastily adopted with insufficient regard for the potential impact on visitor flow and spending patterns, the practical and cost implications associated with collection and enforcement," Ensor said.
"Certainly visitors are using the full range of assets for which New Zealander’s pay tax, but in return they are contributing $9.7 billion to our economy per year and driving employment for one in ten New Zealanders.
"Ironically, it’s overseas visitors that may help secure the ongoing future of many huts by ensuring a level of use that justifies ongoing investment by DOC.”
Otago University Department of Tourism head Professor James Higham said the debate about whether or not to introduce a parks tax or a national parks access fee has been reoccurring for a long time.
Higham does not support "the blunt instrument" of charging international visitors to access our national parks, saying it may run contrary to the Conservation Act.
"I have seen cases where charges are made at access points to national parks and I don't favour such an overtly commercial model," High said. "However, in such cases there is very little resistance to charges which are generally accepted quite readily by visitors.
"There may be some displacement effects in the short term, but I do not see charging for use of national park facilities as something likely to dramatically reduce the competitiveness of New Zealand as a destination for international visitors as some suggest."
Dr Stephen Espiner from Lincoln University's Department of Social Science, Parks, Recreation, Tourism & Sport agrees.
"I personally don't believe such a tax or fee would turn people away from New Zealand," he told Wilderness. "We have a unique product that is only increasing in value and we have to be very careful we don't sell ourselves down the river.”
However, Espiner believes a general tax included in the departure fees paid by international visitors would be a better way to go than access charges to enter national parks.
"We don't have the infrastructure to collect a fee at the moment and it would be quite difficult in many parks."
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