It appears that places within three hours' drive of major population centres are experiencing high visitor growth, despite no international tourists. Northland, Coromandel and the upper South Island are especially busy. Tōtaranui in the Abel Tasman National Park is the country's most popular campsite, with more than 42,000 bed nights booked between the start of December and the end of February.
The Abel Tasman Coastal Track is shaping up to be the busiest Great Walk with more than double the bookings of any other Great Walk. Overall, occupancy rates are averaging 83 per cent full at huts along these walks this summer. The Milford Track is full and the Rakiura, Kepler and Abel Tasman huts are close to full capacity.
An interesting trend is the rise in numbers visiting island destinations such as Post Office Wharf, Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara, Trig Track on Kapiti Island and the Kaitoke Hot Springs Track and Aotea/Great Barrier.
Compare this with the more remote and traditionally high-volume internationally renowned destinations in national parks which have seen a huge decline in visitors. Numbers heading to Milford Sound/Piopiotahi are down by 72 per cent, Franz Josef Glacier down 66 per cent and Roys Peak and Ben Lomond Tracks down 42 and 31 per cent respectively.
No doubt the figures will be studied closely at the end of the summer but meanwhile, the thoughts of Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand president Jan Finlayson are worth considering. Unsurprised by the figures, she says: "It's a good thing that the numbers are down. It's obviously due to the lack of international tourists but prior to Covid-19 national parks were under immense pressure. If the over-commodification of tourism is on the downswing, so much the better."
She wants the enforced "quiet period" to be used to rethink international tourism in national parks before it resumes in a post-Covid 19 environment. "National parks are the engine room of our recreation and indeed our identity as New Zealanders. Regardless of where we come from, we're all equal in a national park.
"At the peak of the tourism season, the Great Walks were basically a highway where few people had the time to stop and simply enjoy the environment, which should be part of the purpose of these activities."
Personally, I would like to see people taking a greater interest in forest parks, particularly the remoter huts. The last time I visited Ruahine Forest Park, the easily-accessed Rangiwahia Hut was full to overflowing but Triangle Hut, a few hours further on, had only three people overnighting.
Dave Scoullar is a tramper, conservationist and member of the Te Araroa Whanganui Trust