New Zealand is nearly tripling its tourist tax to help protect its natural environment and boost public services.<\/p>\n
From 1 October, the fee will rise sharply from NZ$35 (\u20ac20) to NZ$100 (\u20ac56).<\/p>\n
This is despite the fact that visitor numbers remain down since the pandemic, with government figures through June showing a recovery of around 84 per cent in 2024 versus the same period in 2019.<\/p>\n
After imposing some of the harshest border restrictions in the world, the country emerged cautiously from\u00a0COVID-19<\/strong>, taking the opportunity to shift to regenerative, sustainable travel.<\/p>\n Aiming to shake New Zealand\u2019s popularity with budget backpackers, its tourism ministry announced plans to focus on\u00a0higher-spending visitors<\/strong>\u00a0who stay for longer periods.<\/p>\n Before the pandemic, tourism was New Zealand\u2019s largest export industry, employing 8.4 per cent of the country\u2019s workforce and contributing around 6 per cent of GDP either directly or indirectly. In 2023, it was its second largest export.<\/p>\n Between 2016 and 2019, roughly 11 million visitors descended on the island-nation, which boasts a permanent population of just 5 million.<\/p>\n But the country\u2019s popularity takes a toll on its delicate\u00a0natural environment<\/strong>\u00a0– one of its biggest draws.<\/p>\n Environmental degradation not only threatens New Zealand\u2019s aesthetic and recreational appeal. It leaves it less resilient to disasters like\u00a0flooding<\/strong>\u00a0and wildfires, which the country is increasingly exposed to due to climate change and rural development.<\/p>\n The higher tourism fees will partly be used to boost\u00a0conservation<\/strong>\u00a0initiatives that mitigate the impact of visitors.<\/p>\n New Zealand\u2019s current NZ$35 International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) was introduced in July 2019 to support the country\u2019s natural heritage and infrastructure.<\/p>\nDoes New Zealand have an overtourism problem?<\/h2>\n
Why is New Zealand increasing its tourism tax?<\/h2>\n