Great Walks, huts and campsites in great demand

Visitor demand for huts and campsites is growing, with the Department of Conservation (DOC) recording 1.25 million bookings last financial year.

The figures showed more local and international visitors were using DOC's bookable accommodation compared to the previous year.

Bookings for Great Walks were up by 10 percent, while non-Great Walk sites jumped 28 percent.

Heritage and visitors director Catherine Wilson said this contributed more than $18 million towards the facilities and did not account for the total bednights for non-bookable huts and campsites.

The majority of international visitors - an estimated 72 percent - went on a walk or tramp during their visit, she said.

"We're starting to see people returning to places they were going to before the pandemic, so some of the places under pressure previously were places like Aoraki Mount Cook. We know that increasingly more and more people are going there, same with Franz Josef."

DOC hiked its accommodation fees last year, with serviced hut fees moving from $15 to $25 and Great Walk pricing also rising in July.

"So all of that together means I think the picture for accommodation is, there is still plenty of places with lots of space - so have a look around and really think about where you want to go and you should be able to find something for you."

Close to 90 percent of all international tourists staying longer than 20 days visited a national park, while 72 percent of international visitors went on a walk or tramp.

"Most of the top 10 places visited by New Zealanders are in the North Island, near coastal areas and population centres," she said.

"Protected natural areas near Auckland such as Long Bay-Okura Marine Reserve and Rangitoto Island were most popular, while iconic heritage sites near Auckland are also well visited.

"Short walks of less than three hours duration remain the most popular activity for both New Zealanders and international visitors."

She urged people to visit responsibly as popular places faced more pressure.

"It's disappointing to see around a third of New Zealanders noticed visitor impacts at the natural areas they visited, with damage to natural landscapes observed the most.

"This summer, we all need to do our bit to protect the natural and cultural heritage we enjoy outdoors."

The report also raised concerns about managing the impacts of overtourism, particularly in areas like Queenstown with its lack of affordable housing and congestion.

It detailed what overseas destinations were doing to combat this, including Venice introducing a daily tourism fee while Valencia and Barcelona are limiting short-term rentals, suggesting that encouraging more immersive "slow tourism" could be a way forward.