Tourism and Freedom Camping - post Covid

[Berries]

If tourism s so lucrative how is it it has to be funded by ratepayersrather then the industry

Because in many cases for the industry it was purely a numbers game. Now they are going to have to rethink all that, and rethink their pricing structure because New Zealanders are not going to pay the rip off prices that someone on a once in a lifetime world trip might, whether it is for a burger in Queenstown, luge in Rotorua, jetboat ride anywhere or the hire of a self contained campervan for two fucking grand a week.

And they are certainly not going to put up with the lack of toilets.

[MarkH]

I'm fine with freedom camping for locals and foreigners (whenever they return), but would love to see better policing and stronger penalties for those that make a mess. Why should we tolerate anyone treating our country as a rubbish dump and/or toilet?

[pritch]

It seems a bit simple but how difficult would it be to mandate that all camper vans be self contained?

[MD]

It seems a bit simple but how difficult would it be to mandate that all camper vans be self contained?

Too easily circumvented by driving a station wagon or people carrier, which many have been using for some years now for cheap travel around the country. No sir it's not a campervan. I'm transporting that mattress in the back to a friend.

[Berries]

It seems a bit simple but how difficult would it be to mandate that all camper vans be self contained?

You can't do much about people kipping in their own van or station wagon but the government could surely prohibit the rental of non self contained vans that are fitted with sleeping facilities a la the very cheap end of the market. They would seem to be the majority of the issue here. The problem is, to the government, that if these vehicles are not available some of these people may decide not to visit NZ. Can't imagine anyone in this thread sees an issue with that but if you are just looking at the bottom line of international arrival numbers as I am sure some organisations are then this would be a concern.

Moot point now anyway. The industry is going to be fucked for years.

[husaberg]

You can't do much about people kipping in their own van or station wagon but the government could surely prohibit the rental of non self contained vans that are fitted with sleeping facilities a la the very cheap end of the market. They would seem to be the majority of the issue here. The problem is, to the government, that if these vehicles are not available some of these people may decide not to visit NZ. Can't imagine anyone in this thread sees an issue with that but if you are just looking at the bottom line of international arrival numbers as I am sure some organisations are then this would be a concern.

Moot point now anyway. The industry is going to be fucked for years.

lets see they come here in ever increasing numbers to see its natural scenic beauty, but then cant resist the urge shit all over the place ruining the unspoilt natural beauty spending a penny that is costing the locals a dollar to clean up

[MD]

I can live with the country not earning a few pennies and in return I can breathe the clean fresh air and not worry about stepping in human poo.

[Okey Dokey]

It seems a bit simple but how difficult would it be to mandate that all camper vans be self contained?

Not so long ago there was a letter in the ODT by the chap in charge of enforcing the "Freedom camping rules" for the Queenstown council. He had quite a few good comments about it, and one being that self contained vans be certified similar to getting an electrical certificate. Only done every couple of years and that grey water tank and septic tank are there! and every thing works. He made the comment that after inquiring into a young couple in their Mazda station wagon, that the "Self contained" sticker on the back of the car meant that it should have a toilet and grey water tank, they produced a bucket, complete with price sticker and a empty 20ltr container, in equally new condition, as their ablutions kit. And as he said he couldn't do anything about as that is how the law has been written.
There is a bit of piss being taken now, as I saw a mini with a "Self contained" sticker on it the other day and if the Bureaucrats can't figure it out, then we have no hope.

[Naki Rat]

Yeah... I wouldn't worry about it until the whole 14-day isolation on arrival thing is over. And airflight prices and flight numbers return to what they were prior, too.

And most of all... ordinary people having the saving ability to buy an airfare and pay for an international holiday, even the cheapie that is the freedom camper. Global downturn anyone?

Things have changed. Maybe that's permanent, maybe it's actually a good thing. I for one won't be missing them.

Cheap airfares is a big part of the reason we're where we are right now. Back in the 1960s a trip to Europe or the States was the preserve of the wealthy but prices have been at levels over the past few decades that have seen international travel become available to one and all. I travelled regularly to SE Asia for work in the early 1980s and the prices have changed little since then, and in real dollar terms have dropped.

I strongly suspect that airfares as cheap as what were considered normal over the past decade or two are a long way off, if ever. The much reduced selection of airlines who can survive this period will then have to fund rebuilding and recommissioning their fleets which will all make for expensive travel. The freedom camper problem will probably solve itself based on affordability issues well after quarantine measures are relaxed for all those potential plague carriers.

[Swoop]

Perhaps if the gubbinment went to the Lonely Planet books and strongly suggested a "we do not shit in the open in NZ" bit, included in the relevant areas of the LP book for NZ?

Just an idea.

[Blackbird]

First day post-lockdown today and the Coromandel Peninsula was full of grey nomads in their winged-emblemed campervans. At least they were all big enough to have proper toilets. I guess they're all making up for lost time before winter but it's got to be good for Peninsula businesses, especially camping grounds.

[Laava]

First day post-lockdown today and the Coromandel Peninsula was full of grey nomads in their winged-emblemed campervans. At least they were all big enough to have proper toilets. I guess they're all making up for lost time before winter but it's got to be good for Peninsula businesses, especially camping grounds.

Was exactly the same in the far north, and also a massive stream of people heading up there towing boats.

[Blackbird]

Was exactly the same in the far north, and also a massive stream of people heading up there towing boats.

Yep, just the same at Coro. At 0830 yesterday, there must have been over 100 trailers parked near the Waikawau ramp up the Thames Coast with more boats heading up as I went south to Hamilton. There were also a lot more bikes on the road than you would normally see on a weekday too. I had my KTM serviced at Boyds and they were really organised for contact tracing with both sign-in logbooks or a QR code reader. Bottles of sanitiser everywhere.

[husaberg]

Cysticercosis: Occasionally, Cysticercus bovis cysts have been foundin beef carcasses at slaughter in New Zealand There are no reports
of human Taenia saginata infestations having been contracted inNew Zealand. Our cattle are presumed to have become infected after
eating pasture contaminated by faeces from humans who contractedthe parasite overseas.

This occurred down on a farm southland way a few years ago.

[R650R]

We were going to visit the Costa Blanca area (Spain). The Covid situation ruined all the plans. Not sure that even in 2021 it will be possible to go there with my own van. I don't know what to expect from these self-isolating countries.
That is my possible destination It is Benidorm, a small resort by the sea which some 50 years ago was just a regular village with a 1000 dwellers or so but today it has more tourists than local citizens

Might have saved you from seeing some beef curtains

Meanwhile back in NZ MP Mash Potatoe is pledging to ban roadside shitting and basically freedom camping and says we need to aim at high end of market. Going on his previous track record though....