Yahoo TV

STORY: Visiting New Zealand just got more expensive.

The government announced Tuesday (September 3) it will nearly triple entry fees for tourists to NZ$100 dollars - or $62.20 U.S.

Authorities argued it would ensure visitors contributed to public services and high-quality experiences while visiting the country.

Matt Doocey is the New Zealand Minister For Tourism and Hospitality.

"So what we want to do is shift some of the costs from the taxpayer to the visitor and ultimately what we want to do is grow tourism. We’ve got an ambitious target to double our exports as a country over the next ten years. Tourism is our second biggest export earner."

The move hasn't gone down well with the holiday sector.

New Zealand's Tourism Industry Association fears the fee will put visitors off while it recovers from the hit it took during the pandemic.

Gavin Oliver is Managing Director of Ecozip Adventures.

“I think we’re saddened by it. It went to consultation – there were a number of levels that were proposed: $50, $70 and $100. And we advocated for $50. We felt there should be an increase. But this is a very, very significant increase at a time when the tourism sector is struggling to recover post Covid.”

An original NZ$35 fee was introduced in July 2019, but hasn't proven enough to cover costs associated with so many visitors.

New Zealand has struggled with the impact of tourists on the natural environment, and with infrastructure stretched by the large numbers.

The government said the new fee was competitive, and it was confident the country would remain an attractive destination.

Official data released earlier Tuesday showed travel export receipts for the year ended June 30 were around $9 billion U.S. - that's down 5% from before the pandemic.

Data also showed visitor numbers are roughly 80% of levels before the pandemic border closures.