Freedom campers, 'they s*** in our waterways': Stuart Nash to ban tourist vans that aren't self-contained

By RNZ

Tourism Minister Stuart Nash says he will ban hiring vans that are not self-contained to tourists, as he urges a focus on attracting high-spending visitors.

The incoming minister told a tourism summit yesterday the industry should sell itself as a destination for the wealthy when borders reopen.

Stuart Nash told a tourism summit yesterday the industry should sell itself as a destination for the wealthy when borders reopen. Photo / Mark Tantrum

Nash told RNZ there was built-up demand from wealthy travellers, while backpackers and freedom campers would not be the target market.

"Gone are the days, as far as I'm concerned, where you hire a cheap van that is not self-contained," Nash said.

Nash said too often ratepayers and taxpayers had picked up the bill of the impact of tourism on infrastructure and the environment.

He said the full cost of tourism needs to be priced into the visitor experience.

"What we're looking at at the moment is a unique opportunity for a re-set.

"We haven't got tourists here at the moment, so we have an opportunity to re-define our global value proposition and market to those who add significant value to our country.

He was not saying backpackers should stay away, but there was no point in directing the marketing effort towards them, he said.

"Every tourist that comes to New Zealand will pay for the New Zealand experience."

Nash said he would be looking at "innovative ways" so ratepayers and taxpayers don't foot the bill for infrastructure tourists use.

He said he was looking at regulations to stop international tourists from being able to hire vans that don't include toilets.

"We get all these vans driving round at the moment that are not self-contained, so the driver or the passenger wants to go to the toilet - we all know examples of this - they pull over to the side of the road and they s*** in our waterways.

"So what I am saying for example is, as a first cut, these vans that are hired out ... and we will look at regulations to stop this, you will not be able to hire a van that is not self-contained.

"If you're willing to pay for a campervan at least you have the ability to dispose of your excrement in a way that meets our sustainability goals and quite frankly our brand.

The tourism minister says tourists will not be able to hire a van that is not self-contained. Photo / John Stone

"What I'm saying is, all our marketing effort will go into high net worth individuals who are looking for a piece of paradise at the moment as they sit in lockdown in New York or London."

The country would "unashamedly" target the super-wealthy, he said.

"Do you think that we want to become a destination for those freedom campers and backpackers who don't spend much and leave the high net worth individuals to other countries?"

Nash said he approved of systems in other countries where visitors pay more than locals at tourist attractions, but said the government can't direct how operators set their prices.

Celebrate the backpackers

Programme director of online platform Go With Tourism, Matt Stenton, told Morning Report we should celebrate the backpackers who make New Zealand home.

"I think we've always been really privileged for those who have come to New Zealand as backpackers and then started to call New Zealand home and they do a lot of those roles that we cannot convince Kiwis to do."

That's due to negative perceptions around careers and tourism, he said.

New Zealand does very well at getting high value customers to the country, he said. "But I think we also do a great job of getting the everyday person to New Zealand and that's why we're 100 per cent pure and we should be celebrating that".

Stenton said that before Covid we needed 35,000-40,000 workers by 2025 and when the pandemic hit 50,000 workers were displaced.

"Now we have that interesting side where a lot of operators who are starting to ramp back up for the summer season are struggling to find people."

There are opportunities out there for people, he said.