A week since Great Walk 2019/20 bookings opened (on June 11) 9000 bookings have been made says the Department of Conservation.
"While these figures will change over the coming year, bookings are up 10 per cent on this time last year and bookings by New Zealanders also up by 10 per cent, making up about 70 per cent of bookings so far," says DOC heritage and visitors director Steve Taylor.
"The Great Walks are the rock stars of the walking world and not everyone was able to secure their preferred time or walk. However, there is still lots of room across the network of nine tracks and one river journey for people to secure a spot."
The Paparoa Track had 564 bookings in the first day of bookings opening, 91 per cent of which were made by New Zealanders.
"It’s good to see New Zealanders excited about their newest Great Walk. The track opens to walkers and bikers on 1 December and is already becoming pretty full for those first opening months," says Steve.
"Another notable result is, while there was a 9 per cent decrease in first day bookings on our most famous Great Walk, the Milford Track, there was a significant rise in bookings on lesser known gems, the Rakiura Track -up a whopping 129 per cent on last year -Whanganui River Journey – up 83 per cent -and Heaphy Track – up 46 per cent."
Milford Track received 2000 bookings in the first day and is currently 80 per cent booked up.
