As a starting point the Government was co-funding carparks, toilets and other facilities in popular visitor spots from Kaimaumau, north of Kaitaia, to Lumsden in Southland.
It was also co-funding for a new carpark and toilets to support the growth of tourists at Mt Taranaki's Pouakai Crossing trail; facilities at Blackball on the West Coast to support the planned Paparoa and Pike 29 Memorial tracks, and a new carpark and walkways at Lake Tekapo's Church of the Good Shepherd.
Other areas required more significant infrastructure.
In Hanmer Springs the wastewater system would be upgraded, in Gisborne, new carparks and walkways will be constructed in preparation for the 250th commemoration of the arrival of James Cook, and in Tauranga, enhancements would be made to provide safe public access to the bottom of Omanawa Falls."
A second, $10.7m round of funding through the Tourism Infrastructure Fund was expected early next year, while a further $700,000 would be invested in the upkeep of seven Great Rides of Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) president Dave Cull said while the extra funding was welcome, his group would keep advocating for a long-term, sustainable funding mechanism that let visitors contribute to the infrastructure they use when they were here.
"As Tourism Minister Kelvin Davis says, increasing tourist numbers are putting pressure on infrastructure in many areas around the country, especially for those communities with small ratepayer bases."
During the election, Labour had campaigned on charging international visitors a $25 per trip levy and Davis had now asked officials to prepare advice on implementing a levy.
Cull believed more sustainable funding such as a visitor levy or share of GST was essential to help support the tourism industry and councils and communities meet the infrastructure needs that come with an influx of people.
"A sustainable funding source that is fairly raised and allocated and applied to capital and operational expenditure, and maintenance, of tourism infrastructure is vital," he said.
"Whatever its form, either a levy or portion of GST, we are now urging the Government to partner with local government on details around how a new, sustainable funding mechanism will work, and variations of this for places like Queenstown where the need is different."
LGNZ has also called for a co-ordinated, nationwide approach to biodiversity management.
It recently put out a report highlighting a need for strong leadership and clarity of roles and responsibilities across all players; agreement where efforts should be targeted locally, regionally and nationally; being able to measure progress; and new, fit-for-purpose guidelines and legislation.
That included a proposed "National Biodiversity Management Authority", comprising all major statutory and financial players, including local government and iwi.
