Overview

• Starting in 2027, foreign tourists will pay NZ$20–40 each to enter Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Track and Aoraki Mount Cook, sites where overseas visitors represent about 80 percent of foot traffic.
• The government projects the fees will raise roughly NZ$62 million per year for targeted site maintenance and biodiversity initiatives.
• New Zealanders will retain free entry across the conservation estate to preserve local access rights.
• The entry charges form part of a comprehensive conservation law overhaul designed to streamline land-use approvals and expand commercial concessions.
• Conservation advocates and opposition figures warn the reforms weaken long-standing protections and could endanger vulnerable species.