Kapiti Island fees

The Dom Post reports:

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has confirmed the Kapiti Island visitor fee and tourism structure is being reviewed in the wake of plummeting visitor numbers.

The review follows a sharp decline in visitor numbers since fees were increased in February last year from about $190 to $300 for a family of four.

Smith said the Conservation Department was reviewing fees, and ways of attracting more visitors, while protecting the pest-free nature reserve.

The fees were increased to help pay for improvements on the island, including upgrading the sewerage system and visitor kiosk, and providing flushing toilets.

But figures show only 283 people visited the island in January this year, compared with 1569 in January 2013.

They got greedy and hiked the fee too high, and the end result is fewer visitors and less income.

I’d love to go to Kapiti Island, as has not been there since I was a kid. But $95 is too high a cost.