The Queenstown Lakes District mayor has voiced his disappointment with the government's proposed tourist levy, saying he will continue to push for a regional 'bed tax' instead.
Queenstown, with the Remarkables as a backdrop. Photo: 123RF
The government's proposed tax will charge many international visitors entering the country for less than 12 months up to $35 from mid-2019.
Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult said the money would be split between tourism infrastructure and conservation, which he believed meant regions heavily affected by visitor numbers wouldn't get enough financial support.
"To do what we need to do in our district, we need to be seeking something in the order of $30 or $40 million a year, so we're obviously not going to get that out of the border levy."
Mr Boult confirmed he will continue to lobby for a regional bed tax, saying it is the logical way to go.
But the Tasman mayor is backing the government's plan to tax many international visitors, saying it's a welcome investment.
The mayor of the Tasman District, Richard Kempthorne, said the $35 will help pay for improving infrastructure.
He said the area at the top of the South Island often attracts freedom campers, so the extra money could help fund infrastructure such as toilets for them.
"If we can have assistance with basic facilities like toilets in some of the places of Tasman, so we have people that would come and would like to freedom camp in various locations, so if we have can have further assistance for funding that sort of infrastructure, that would be really good."
People from Australia and many Pacific Islands nations will be exempt from the tax.