Most welcome plan to charge tourists for Cathedral Cove

Tuesday, 2 June 2026

The Government is proposing to charge international visitors going to Cathedral Cove (file).

A plan to charge overseas visitors at Cathedral Cove is being welcomed by most, but has one business owner worried about his sales.

And the Coromandel landmark isn’t the only spot where the Government wants international tourists to pay. It’s also proposed for sites including the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, Aoraki/Mt Cook and Milford Sound, a move first signalled last year.

It’s estimated the charge would be in the range of $20-$40 and likely to bring in $62 million a year to be re-invested in pest control, biodiversity protection, and maintaining tracks and huts.

Cathedral Cove is among several attractions being considered for an international visitor charge.

The Department of Conservation is holding a meeting at the Hahei Community Hall on June 10 about the proposal, including feedback on where levies could apply, pricing, exemptions, revenue use, and plans for introducing charges at Cathedral Cove.

DOC says 250,000 people visit the cove each year, with international visitors accounting for 75% of visitor numbers.

Hahei Eatery and Ice Cream store owner Gufar Mohd is not a fan of the proposal.

He said charging overseas tourists would affect local businesses and result in fewer people visiting Cathedral Cove.

A proposed tourist fee at Cathedral Cove has sparked debate in Hahei.

“They will not come here. So we can't sell the food, we can't sell the ice cream, and that's when customers will be low.”

Mohd said charging international tourists would mean fewer customers and would “impact on our sales”.

Hahei Residents and Ratepayers Association chair John Jonassen said charging visitors was a positive move and had community support.

However, Jonassen said the bigger challenge was encouraging visitors to spend time and money in the coastal town.

Previously, many visitors would go to Cathedral Cove and leave “without spending any money”.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says visitor charges would help fund tracks, huts and conservation work.

But things have since changed.

“So now we've got a car park [park-and-ride] and we're trying to direct them through the bus and through walking to walk past the town, have a coffee, have a beer, spend some money.”

Jonassen said revenue from visitors should help pay for “sustaining the tracks”.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka told the Waikato Times charging visitors was a way to ensure the value of these places was recognised and paid for by international tourists.

“Otherwise it's just the taxpayer that's paying for all the tracks, all the huts, everything, that can't be right, mate.”

He said the tracks cost money to maintain.

“It's good to charge, and you can reinvest in fixing up the tracks and the huts, along those tracks and actually help birds and native species, some of which are very endangered.”

Charging locals to visit Cathedral Cove remains off the table.

Potaka said charging international visitors was no different from what New Zealanders experienced when visiting national parks overseas.

“If you go to Kosciusko National Park in Australia or Turtle Bay, in Hawaii, you’ve got to pay. What’s the difference? There is none.”

“So when international visitors come here, they should pay.”