After months of technical glitches and delays, tourism businesses are eagerly anticipating the opening of bookings for New Zealand’s Great Walks. The Department of Conservation’s (DOC) booking system had been experiencing issues since April, causing frustration and setbacks for businesses and trampers alike. However, DOC has assured that the problems have now been resolved.
Local tourism operators, such as Furhana Ahmad from Ruggedy Range Wilderness Experience on Stewart Island, expressed their excitement to finally secure bookings for their customers. Ahmad mentioned the disappointment caused by the delays and emphasized the importance of getting the process back on track to avoid further setbacks.
Anne Murphy, co-owner of Hiking New Zealand, also expressed hope that the technical issues with DOC’s booking system had been resolved. For her company, securing bookings for DOC huts and campsites is crucial, as they form part of longer itineraries that have been in the works for some time.
With the opening of bookings, businesses are looking forward to smoothly securing spots for their customers and continuing their operations without further disruptions.
