Too Many People Are Going to New Zealand. And That’s a Problem

Scenic walks across volcanic plateaus and through snow-capped alpine valleys are becoming congested, while small towns servicing adventure activities like jet-boat rides down surging rivers or guided walks across 7,000-year-old glaciers are finding their sewerage systems over-loaded.

“If we don’t fix these things and look to the long term, we’ll be putting a cap on our own growth,” said Quinton Hall, chief executive officer of Ngai Tahu Tourism, one of the country’s biggest adventure tourism operators. “We’ve got a natural cap on our peak period right now because we just don’t have the accommodation in New Zealand. Even if they wanted to come, they couldn’t find anywhere to sleep.”

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 Dart River Funyak in Glenorchy. Source: Ngai Tahu Tourism