Do you approve of a $40 instant fine for not camping in a campground or holiday park?

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The right to camp out by the beach and sleep to the sound of the surf is being banned in one of the North Island's most picturesque holiday spots.

A Thames Coromandel District Council bylaw which comes into effect today sets a fine of $40 for anyone not camping in a campground or holiday park.

Critics of the bylaw say the crackdown on "freedom" camping will scare tourists away and ruin the romantic ideal of camping in isolation. But the local tourism board says the fine will not deter international travellers because visitors are keen to preserve New Zealand's clean image.

Do you approve of a $40 instant fine for those not camping in a campground or holiday park?