Getting tourists to contribute more to help fund much-needed infrastructure at some destinations is something that needs to be investigated - but cautiously, according to Whanganui tourism experts.
The Government is open to new ways of raising money from tourists to help pay for infrastructure, and last week Prime Minister John Key announced a $12 million fund for small communities to build toilets, signs and vehicle parks to cope with freedom campers in particular.
But Mr Key, who is also tourism minister, said the industry was debating new ways of raising money from the surging numbers of foreign visitors for bigger projects.
One option was bed taxes, which had been discussed as an option for places such as Queenstown, where infrastructure is struggling with visitor numbers.
In a rare move, the Government allowed Stewart Island to impose a $5 visitor tax. These differential charging regimes are commonplace overseas.