Big changes proposed to manage Aoraki Mt Cook National Park's visitor influx

With a million people set to visit Aoraki Mount Cook National Park this year, some major changes are being proposed to help manage the influx.

A draft management plan has just been released with ideas to help manage the visitor numbers.

"Aoraki's become the place to go to, and our job is to manage those numbers and make sure everybody has a really good experience here," said Brent Swanson, Department of Conservation operation manager for Aoraki/Mt Cook.

Last year, there were 950,000 visitors and traffic chaos ensured. So they are proposing a new carpark eight kilometres out of the national park.

"As a potential site, it's far enough out of the park we think, so it doesn't impact on the park," Mr Swanson said.

"We will hit a million this year and that's going to increase by 20 per cent every year, so we have to make some bold decisions." 

The public has two months to submit on the park and ride transport plan, with hearings in November. 

"It sounds like a logical idea," Mackenzie district councillor Paul Hannagan said.

To preserve the park's aesthetic, there will be no accommodation consents issued in the village.