While there are fewer tourists on our great walks, the money is still rolling in thanks to the price hike.

Since the Department of Conservation introduced the idea of overseas visitors paying almost double to stay at the huts on our great walks, the number of tourists on the tracks has dropped 31 per cent.

But since the change, DOC has broken even for the first time, bringing in an extra $2.4 million.

Federated Mountain Clubs CEO, Peter Wilson told Mike Hosking it's a success story for the department.

"I think Kiwis want to make sure that they can get onto those tracks and that they aren't crowded out by large groups of tourists, and I think at this point it's balancing out quite nicely."