The Department of Conservation is consulting on plans to charge international visitors to 10 popular spots around New Zealand, starting with Milford Sound, Aoraki Mount Cook, Cathedral Cove and the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
Hahei Residents and Ratepayers Association chair John Jonasson told Checkpoint the organisation surveyed households in the town about the issue over the summer.
He said around 30 per cent of Hahei households responded, and of those, 72 per cent wanted international visitors to pay to visit Cathedral Cove.
Jonasson said the big issue for him was how the money would be charged, applied, and spent.
“It’s got to go back into maintaining the track and enhancing the experience.”
He said there was 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, he said.
| This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |
