Tauranga motorhome companies are defending the reputation of freedom campers, believing they are not the cause of pollution around popular holiday spots.
Freedom campers have come under fire from various sectors including the president of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association, Dick Waters, accusing them of having a negative impact on New Zealand's environment.

But, Rob Axton, general manager at Country Motorhomes and Caravans in Mount Maunganui, says it is New Zealanders randomly dumping their rubbish and not freedom camping tourists that are the problem.
'Having seen the sort of people that congregate in beautiful areas and park for free, a lot of them are not foreign people. It's Kiwis.”
'A lot of people in cheap caravans come here because of New Zealand's clean, green reputation. They don't come here to pollute it.”
He says some New Zealanders need to be educated about how they should behave when they are camping.
'I think the issue is one of education. There is a lot of good work the New Zealand Motorhome and Caravan Association does in educating their members but their members are not the issue. That education has to start for Kiwis.”
Rob admits that younger tourists could be adding to the problem but says they make a small percentage of total tourism numbers coming to New Zealand.
'All areas that attract tourists suffer equally. Those that attract younger tourists might suffer worst.”
'Kiwis have grown up going to camping grounds but those people are not the issue. It's the others who have not had those experiences.”
Mount Maunganui Motorhomes & Caravans salesman Peter Clinton says it is the old story of a minority of people spoiling it for a few.
He says most freedom campers opt to use self-contained motorhomes and caravans and it is only a small number of younger campers that do not use that option.
'The Western Bay is the sort of place tourists come to and it's a place that's worse than other areas because we get more young people,” says Peter.