Kiwis Wary of Tourists' Impact

The number of New Zealanders worried about the impact of the booming tourism industry on the country is growing rapidly, according to a new survey.

The survey, commissioned by New Zealand's tourism industry, found that 40% of those asked were worried about the impact of tourism on the infrastructure.

"Fears about the environment and traffic congestion were also foremost in people's minds, Tourism New Zealand's Chief Executive Stephen England-Hall said on Thursday," Deutsche Welle reported. The local media frequently report about problems with the so-called freedom campers, who use nature as toilets, leave rubbish in pristine environments and contribute to the overcrowding of holiday spots.

Queenstown Lakes District Mayor Jim Boult told Radio New Zealand he was getting complaints almost every day from fed-up locals. He said that the main problems with freedom campers are "crowding into spaces which some of our locals regard as areas for them to have their recreation in, and people treating our outdoor areas as a giant toilet".

However, a majority of Kiwis see tourism in a positive light, with more than 90% of respondents saying international tourism is good for the country and 87% said they took personal pride in making international visitors welcome in New Zealand.