Australia Will Charge You To Visit Its Most IG-Worthy Spots In 2023 & Here's How It'll Work
Taking a nice picture will cost you!
A young woman is swimming in Mataranka Hot Springs in Northern Territory, Australia.
If you're planning a trip to Australia in 2023, you'll want to take note of some new rules that will impact your wallet!
Australia's Northern Territory Government just announced tourists will soon have to pay to visit most of the national parks in the region. The new fee will certainly affect a lot of travellers who go there to snap beautiful pictures for their social media feeds.
Here's how the new park pass in Northern Territory will work.
How much does the new park pass in Australia cost?
When it comes to the park pass fees, there are several options to choose from.
A day pass will cost AUD $10 (around US $6.70) for an adult and AUD $5 (US $3.35) for a child.
Or you can opt for a AUD $25 (US $16.70) family pass.
An adult can purchase a two-week pass for AUD $30 (US $20).
An open pass is AUD $60 (US $40) for an adult, AUD $30 (US $20) for a child and AUD $150 (US $100) for a family.
Visitors will still be required to pay camping and hiking fees on top of the new parks pass fee.
The government says visitors will be able to purchase the pass through an online booking system.
When does the new park pass in Australia go into effect?
The new park pass will go into effect in April 2023 for both domestic and international visitors.
People who live in the Northern Territory will not be expected to pay the fees.
Which Australian parks will visitors have to pay for in 2023?
Out of 85 parks in the Northern Territory, visitors will have to pay to visit 50 of them including, Adelaide River Foreshore Conservation Area, Illamurta Springs Conservation Reserve, Watarrka National Park and Mataranka hot springs.
The full list can be found here.
What will the money go towards?
Sally Egan, head of the Northern Territory Parks and Wildlife, told 7NEWS that the new pass will help protect the country's most endangered wildfire.
“Revenue from fees will be invested back into the protection, maintenance and safety of our parks, and the creation of new visitor experiences," Egan added.
“These changes mean our parks and reserves are maintained and developed for generations to come, so Territorians and visitors can continue to enjoy the amazing landscapes and native wildlife."
According to abc.net in Australia, the government expects the new park pass to bring in $7 million, when combined with hiking and camping fees.
Will this impact travel to Northern Territory in Australia?
Gabby Walters, an associate professor of tourism at the University of Queensland, tells 7NEWS that she doesn't believe the changes will negatively impact tourism in the Northern Territory.
“The people that are visiting are already paying a lot of money with airfares and accommodation, so an extra $25 on top of that is not going to make them not want to go to a park.”
Walters adds that many natural parklands around the globe already impose fees similar to these ones and these changes could mean the parks in Australia will be "better protected."
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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