Overview

• The government has confirmed that Cathedral Cove/Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Tongariro Crossing, Milford Sound and Aoraki/Mount Cook will require entry fees for international visitors.
• Foreign tourists will pay between NZ$20 and NZ$40 per person, generating an estimated NZ$62 million annually for direct reinvestment in site upkeep and facilities.
• Legislation to implement the user-pays model is being drafted alongside broader conservation law reforms that streamline commercial concessions on public land.
• New Zealand citizens will continue to access conservation areas free of charge under the new policy framework.
• Forest & Bird, the Green Party and other critics argue the combined fee schedule and deregulation measures weaken protections and are preparing legal and political challenges.