Date:  17 November 2020

"There are so many benefits for our health from spending time in nature. With border restrictions still in place and a call for the team of 5 million to support our regions and domestic tourism operators, we are expecting more New Zealanders out and about than ever before this summer," says DOC's Director of Heritage and Visitors Steve Taylor.

"We're keen to encourage more people to make the most of their rich recreational heritage which includes encouraging people to try their first hut experience and  putting more of these facilities on the booking system so that more people - families in particular - can get into the backcountry."

"Our advice is to book huts and campsites well in advance and take advantage of the quieter weekdays and times outside of the school holidays. We are also anticipating many New Zealanders with less experience in the outdoors will be getting out into nature this summer and so DOC will be focusing on helping these people to be well-prepared for their trips."

Steve Taylor says Aotearoa is world-famous for its stunning landscapes and extensive networks of tracks, huts and campsites.

"Research shows the activities most New Zealanders want to do are those that are fairly accessible in terms of time, cost and location such as short walks, sight-seeing and experiencing cultural heritage. However, there is an opportunity to suit everyone's abilities, desires and skills – from picnic spots, to mountain-biking and multi-day hikes."

"DOC is excited to host and connect so many Kiwis with their natural and cultural heritage this summer. We're focusing on facilitating fantastic, memorable experiences and arming people with the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe while outdoors," says Steve Taylor.

"We strongly recommend people do a little homework beforehand, check the DOC website, pop into the local visitor centre, and know the weather and track conditions before you set off. On the day, tell someone your plans and make sure you pack all you need."

Get Outdoors Week is a national campaign led by Recreation Aotearoa encouraging Kiwis to get out and explore the great outdoors.

More information

• Recreation Aotearoa – Get Outdoors Week website
• New Zealanders in the outdoors: Domestic customer segmentation research (PDF, 5,770K) 
• Bookings data for the Great Walks 
• Winter 2020 activity data for selected DOC tracks across Aotearoa (PDF, 1,453K)

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