People hiring non-self-contained vehicles will be instructed not to freedom camp, and will be directed to designated camping areas, like holiday parks, Department of Conservation (DOC) camp sites and other designated camping spaces.
The NZ Freedom Camping Forum – which includes representatives from rental vehicle operators, local government, tourism organisations and central government – met in Auckland last week to discuss concerns about the impacts of freedom camping in parts of New Zealand.
Tourism Industry Association Advocacy Manager Geoff Ensor says all parties were committed to taking action.
“The right to freedom camp is a New Zealand birthright and we don’t want to see it banned, but we must take action to protect our environment and our international reputation as a friendly, welcoming destination,” Ensor says.
The Forum agreed on more than 30 actions that will be undertaken by rental vehicle operators, local government and tourism organisations to improve the behaviour of campers.
These included a commitment from the rental vehicle operators at the meeting to inform clients from the time they book vehicles that it is not acceptable to camp outside designated camping areas.
“This is a huge step forward. Operators representing about 80% of the rental vehicle fleet and the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association, which represents 80% of private motorhome owners, were at the Forum and agreed to these actions. They will also talk to others in the industry to ensure this happens across the board,” Ensor says.
Local government representatives will advocate for legislation establishing a national instant fine system that councils will be able to use to better enforce freedom camping rules in their areas.
“At present, each council has different rules about freedom camping. Local government has agreed to develop a model bylaw and share best-practice freedom camping management models from around the country. We will also be making more effort to ensure travellers are aware of the rules as they move about the country, through the i-SITE information network, DOC visitor centres, holiday parks, tourism operators, websites and social media,” Ensor says.