Surge in Bed Night Bookings for New Zealand’s Great Walks Brings in $9 Million for Conservation

Recent data reveals a significant increase in bed night bookings for New Zealand’s Great Walks, contributing over $9 million to the Department of Conservation (DOC). This surge highlights the growing popularity of conservation tourism and its positive impact on local economies.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka expressed enthusiasm about the development, noting that the improved booking system has made it easier for people to access these iconic trails. “A big opening day for each Great Walk saw increases of over 10,000 bed nights booked compared to last year,” he said. “The upgrades to our booking system—especially the new online lobby—successfully processed a peak of nearly 12,000 people waiting to book the Milford Track when it opened on May 28 in an hour.”

Last year, the DOC faced criticism when its website crashed for the second consecutive year. In response, the department upgraded its booking system to an “industry-leading” lobby system, similar to those used by event ticketing companies. This enhancement has significantly improved the user experience and streamlined the booking process.

Over the 2025/26 year, more than 140,000 bed nights were booked across the nine Great Walks, generating over $9 million for the DOC. The overall increase in bed night bookings was 7% compared to the previous year. While all the Great Walks saw an increase in bookings, the Heaphy and Whanganui River Journey tracks were the only exceptions.

Conservation-related tourism is a major economic driver, valued at around $3.4 billion annually. “People across the world are dreaming of walking our beautiful whenua. Great Walks bookings are our golden tickets. You don’t need rivers of chocolate when you’ve got the Routeburn Track,” said Potaka.

The DOC also released a list of its top 10 most popular huts and campgrounds, offering insight into which locations are most sought after by hikers and campers. These include the Pinnacles hut in the Coromandel Forest Park, Mueller hut in Aoraki Mt Cook National Park, and the Tōtaranui campground in Golden Bay, among others.

With the continued success of the Great Walks, it’s clear that conservation tourism is not only preserving New Zealand’s natural beauty but also boosting local businesses and communities. As the popularity of these trails grows, so does their impact on the economy and the environment.