Latest news with #WhanganuiJourney
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
New system to improve wait times
The Kepler Track — Doc has opened bookings for some of the Great Walks tracks. CREDIT: LAURA SMITH (SOUTHLAND EXPRESS) A new Great Walks booking system has reduced waiting time online to a few minutes according to the Department of Conservation. The booking system has been plagued with issues in recent years with system crashes, false starts and booking dates pushed back following high demand and technical glitches. Doc heritage and visitor director Cat Wilson said she was very happy with how the new booking system had performed since it was launched recently. "We've implemented an industry-leading lobby system similar to systems used by concert booking companies to smooth the customer experience and manage very high demand at peak times. "The upgraded booking system and new lobby function worked well on opening day with over 2000 users waiting in the lobby at 9.28am. We had processed 1200 bookings by 10am." About 8300 people were waiting when bookings opened last Thursday morning but that dropped to about 1200 by 10am, she said. "By 12.30pm, 4600 Great Walks bookings had been made and we're expecting bookings will continue to come in throughout the day." Great Walk bookings queue wait-time was also now down to four minutes, she said. Bookings for Tongariro Northern Circuit are on hold while Doc assesses plans for replacing Oturere Hut. Opening dates May 13: Back country huts, lodges, sole occupancy facilities May 15: Heaphy Track, Kepler Track, Rakiura Track, Hump Ridge Track May 20: Conservation campsites, except Tōtaranui, Momorangi, Anaura Bay campsites May 21: Momorangi campsite, Anaura Bay campsite May 22: Whanganui Journey, Routeburn Track, Tongariro Northern Circuit May 27: Lake Waikaremoana Track, Abel Tasman Coast Track, Paparoa Track May 28: Milford Track June 4: Tōtaranui campsite — Toni McDonald
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- NZ Herald
New DoC camp website draws more than 1000 to book holidays as revamped system launches
'There have been no technical glitches or issues and demand has been strong with over 1000 bookings processed 45 minutes after opening this morning.' After a surge in demand last year resulted in repeated website crashes, DoC overhauled its booking system and introduced staggered booking dates for their Great Walks, campsites and other facilities. The new lobby system, similar to those used by event ticketing companies, involved users logging into their DoC account, being redirected to a booking lobby and assigned a number. At 9.30am the queue started to move into the booking system. Hyland said today's queue was finished about 15 minutes after opening. Spots at Tōtaranui, Momorangi and Anaura Bay campsites will open tomorrow morning. Hyland earlier advised that whether you were booking a hut, campsite or Great Walk, it was worth getting prepared early. 'Give yourself the best chance of securing your spot by creating an account on the booking system and making sure your login details work. 'Familiarise yourself with the booking system. You can even practise making a booking – just empty your cart at the end rather than paying. 'Bookings open at 9.30am each opening day. We recommend logging on around 9.15am, there's no benefit to doing it any earlier.' All bookings are first-come first-served. DoC says it does not have waiting lists for bookings for future seasons or facilities that are already booked-out. There will be a price increase for some facilities next season, ranging between 5% and 15% for the Milford, Routeburn, Kepler, Abel Tasman Coast Track and Paparoa Great Walks and several high-demand huts and cottages. DoC announced this month that the Tongariro Northern Circuit would no longer be available to book for the Great Walks season due to plans to replace Oturere Hut. Opening dates for Great Walk accommodation bookings (for stays from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) 9.30am NZST May 15 – Heaphy Track, Kepler Track, Rakiura Track, Hump Ridge May 22 – Whanganui Journey, Routeburn Track May 27 – Lake Waikaremoana Track, Abel Tasman Coast Track, Paparoa Track May 28 – Milford Track Opening dates for all other accommodation bookings (for stays from July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) 9.30am NZST May 13 – Backcountry huts, lodges, sole occupancy facilities May 20 – Conservation campsites, except Tōtaranui, Momorangi and Anaura Bay campsites May 21 – Momorangi campsite, Anaura Bay campsite
