Accordingly, New Zealand will increase the international visitor tourism and conservation levy (IVL) from 35 New Zealand dollars to 100 New Zealand dollars (about 62.2 USD) from October 1, to "ensure visitors contribute to public services and high-quality experiences when visiting New Zealand".
New Zealand and Australian citizens, permanent residents, diplomats and people from many Pacific Island countries are exempt from this fee.
Like many popular tourist destinations around the world, New Zealand has struggled to cope with overtourism, which has impacted the natural environment and strained infrastructure due to the influx of tourists.
The NZ$35 fee was introduced in July 2019, but it is believed to be insufficient to cover the costs associated with overcrowding.
The New Zealand government said the new fee was competitive and it was confident the country would continue to be seen as an attractive destination for international visitors.
However, the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand said the higher fees would be difficult to attract many visitors, especially when the industry, once New Zealand's biggest export earner, is still struggling to recover from strict border closures implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic.
New Zealand's tourism recovery is lagging the rest of the world and this will further reduce New Zealand's global tourism competitiveness, said Rebecca Ingram, the association's CEO.
New data from Statistics New Zealand shows that tourism exports in the year ending June 30 were worth NZ$14.96 billion, down 5% from pre-pandemic levels. According to the agency, visitor numbers were only about 80% of pre-border closure levels.
The New Zealand government has also recently increased tourist visa costs and proposed increasing charges at regional airports.
Tourism Minister Matt Doocey said the NZ$100 IVL fee typically accounts for less than 3% of an international visitor's total spend while in New Zealand, meaning it is unlikely to have a significant impact on visitor numbers.
Mr Doocey added that international tourism played a “hugely important role” in the New Zealand economy, with international visitors spending more than NZ$11 billion in the past year.
The New Zealand Tourism Minister also stressed that the growth of the tourism industry is part of New Zealand's overall goal of doubling its export turnover in a decade.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said taxpayers contributed nearly NZ$884 million a year to tourism and conservation, including tourism promotion, natural heritage and recreation.
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