Queenstown mulling tourist tax
Another popular destination is mulling a tourist tax to combat overtourism.
New Zealand’s biggest tourist town and centre of extreme sports, Queenstown is being swamped by tourists and needs to fund infrastructure work to cope.
Queenstown mayor Jim Boult says it is increasingly difficulty for local people to afford housing in the town, with house prices and rentals among the most expensive in the country.
Queenstown welcomes more than 30 times the number of tourists as there are local residents.
With anti-tourist sentiment growing, Boult wants to hold an urgent referendum on imposing a tourist levy of NZ$7.50 by 2021.
It could raise up to NZ$40m.
Last year 3.3 million visitors came to what is known as the world’s adventure tourism capital.
Housing and urban development minister Phil Twyford said the government will consider legislation if the referendum receives majority support from local residents.
Boult says tourism ‘threatens to undermine the wellbeing of our communities,’
Queenstown is noted globally for its winter sports, bungee jumping and white water rafting.
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