Do we really want to banish backpackers and position New Zealand as expensive and exclusive — the Switzerland of the South Pacific? If we were to consider the wider social, economic and environmental impacts of discrete tourism markets, we would be banishing the cruise industry first, not backpackers. Backpackers bring many benefitsBecause they stay longer, backpackers can bring wider benefits to our society, economy and environment. The importance of diverse tourismBackpackers and freedom campers support small regional tourism businesses, attractions and local services that would not survive without them. Local councils transfer the costs of freedom camping to ratepayers when they provide "free" overnight parking and toilet facilities — putting rate-paying local camping grounds out of business.

Source: New Zealand Herald November 29, 2020 06:00 UTC