Freedom camping and the great Kiwi road trip is the quintessential New Zealand experience - not ten days in an expensive hotel.
Stuart Nash’s suggestion that the tourism industry should target wealthy travellers shows a blatant disregard for the culture our tourism industry is founded on - and his proposal to ban the rental of vans that aren’t self-contained is elitism, pure and simple.
His statement that freedom campers “shit in our waterways” is not a true reflection of New Zealand’s backpacking culture, not to mention disrespectful - especially in a time when our tourism industry is floundering due to a lack of international travellers.
As a backpacker myself, I can confirm New Zealand has cemented her image as a wild and untouched nation in the minds of international tourists.
Just about every traveller I’ve met overseas has been overjoyed to meet a Kiwi. Those that have touched down on our shores have only good memories - and those that haven’t been able to make it here yet always exclaim our country, the fabled land of the long white cloud, is at the top of their bucket list.
New Zealand is already an expensive country to get to, let alone travel through. Nash’s proposal to ban the rental of vans that aren’t self-contained will not only alienate a significant portion of the tourism market, but quash the quintessential Kiwi experience, and right of passage for locals and tourists alike.
There have been a few bad eggs, but the majority of budget travellers and backpackers who travel through New Zealand are dedicated and mindful people seeking authentic experiences.
While wealthy travellers have money to burn, many of the big hotels they choose to stay in aren’t owned locally. In comparison budget travellers, who often opt for cheaper accommodation such as hostels or DOC campsites, support our local economy rather than giving their money to international tourist conglomerates.
While wealthy travellers can afford to eat out in our restaurants and cafes, budget travellers are more likely to shop at our supermarkets. Regardless of wealth, there are positives to having both sides of the coin grace our shores.
In neighbouring Australia, freedom camping is legal although it is strictly managed while on the other side of the world in Scotland, wild camping is allowed just about anywhere including “unenclosed land”.
Under the Land Reform Act of 2003, campers have a right of access which essentially allows them to camp on private land. The only area you need a camping permit for is Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park - but you can still freedom camp without a self-contained vehicle as long as you have a permit. In Argentina, you can camp behind gas stations and on the side of the road and nobody even looks twice.
While I am not suggesting we allow freedom campers to run amok, perhaps more regulation and a strong emphasis on preserving our natural environment is the key.
Rather than alienating budget travellers, why not install more public toilets and garbage bins in popular camping spots? Instead of reacting in anger and dividing our tourism industry between the have and have-nots, encourage and educate our freedom campers to learn more about New Zealand’s cultures and traditions. Push our clean green image and strive for an industry that is adventurous and eco friendly - and maybe it would be worthwhile encouraging our freedom campers to carry a small shovel for times of crisis, as they are told to do so in Scotland.
The summer of 2017 I installed a pallet bed in the back of a Toyota Hiace and travelled around the South Island. I couldn’t afford a self-contained camper van but by freedom camping, I was able to reach real rural New Zealand where the buses don’t bother to go and support small towns in the South Island that would otherwise go unnoticed on the tourist trail. Over 20 countries later my road trip around our beautiful country remains one of my most-told adventures. Particular highlights included having a pint at the pub in Lumsden, and seeing the orange flame of a Kea's wings flying over Arthur’s Pass.
Why shouldn’t our international travellers have access to the same experience? The great Kiwi road trip has longed been ingrained into our national identity - it’s a part of who we are. The real New Zealand.
Rather than looking to stop freedom camping outright, our tourism minister should embrace the tradition as an authentic part of the New Zealand experience. Installing more public toilets and giving a little more funding to DOC to regulate freedom camping is the answer - not encouraging the tourism industry to disregard “low value” travellers. There is room for everybody here, regardless of wealth.
- Ella Tait
