Top takeaways from DoC's 2021 Summer report: Beaches hit hard and bad behaviour noted

Lyttelton from the Port Hills' Uramau Reserve Track. Photo / Crater Rim Walks, Supplied

Described as a summer "like no other" by DoC's Strategy and Insights Manager Tim Bamford, it's no surprise that border closures and alert levels prompted Kiwis to do things a little differently this year.

According to DoC's Summer 2021 visitor insights report, more than three quarters of Kiwis reported getting outdoors between December to February. So, what did they get up to and how was the experience?

Northland and Coromandel continued to see strong numbers over the summer holidays. Photo/ Andre Bernhardt, Unsplash

1. Visitor patterns fluctuated in several regions
Without the usual flood of international tourists it's no surprise that, overall, regions across Aotearoa saw a drop in visitor numbers. Compared to previous years, numbers in Milford Sound/Piopiotahi dropped 78 per cent; Tongariro Alpine Crossing, 72 per cent and Franz Josef Glacier, 72 per cent. However, it wasn't necessarily quieter everywhere with huts and campsites in Northland and Coromandel experiencing a surge in demand over Christmas and New Year.

Surfers getting a morning break at Mangamaunu, Kaikoura. Photo/Tim Marshall, Unsplash

2. Kiwis hit the outdoors, especially during holidays
It seems New Zealanders responded to Tourism New Zealand's call to 'Do Something New, New Zealand!' with many people visiting outdoor destinations or cultural sites for the first time. Meanwhile, over February alone 74 per cent of Kiwis ventured outdoors (a 10 per cent increase compared to the previous year) with most heading to beaches or coastlines.

Taking dogs into prohibited areas was the most common breach reported by rangers. Photo/Dan Campbell-Robinson, Unsplash

3. Bad behaviour noticed by rangers and visitors
However, according to DoC rangers, we weren't exactly tidy Kiwis. The rules most often broken? Taking dogs where they aren't allowed, risky boating/jet ski driving and setting up bonfires in prohibited areas. The bad behaviour didn't escape visitors either, with people most likely to complain of litter, damaged facilities or packed car parks.

'Authenticity' the most popular term Kiwis use to describe their summer experience. Photo / Supplied

4. Authenticity and memorability reign supreme
Whether we tramped deep into the bush, kayaked across a river or visited a historic heritage site, we were most likely to describe our experience as authentic, memorable and personally meaningful. As expected when travelling in your home country, few people called their experience 'life changing'.