"A TEN-YEAR VIEW"

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 14, 16 July 1931, Page 15

"A TEN-YEAR VIEW"

TOURIST POSSIBILITIES

AMERICANS INTERESTED

Back yesterday from Vancouver, aftor a four mouths' business visit to tho United States and Canada, Mr. David Cody, director of the Charles Haines Advertising Agency, -Ltdi, Wellington, gavo some impressions of* his tour. Mr.' Cody visited every principal city in both countries, and calling as lie did, on one hundred and seventy commercial houses, was afforded ample opportunity of ' studying present-day. business conditions and methods, as well as various phases of American life. . "I was astonished," he'said, "to find that tho 1930 tourist business in Canada was worth the impressive total of £D6,000,000-K>r more than the entire value of New. Zealand's:yearly oxports. In 1929 the amount exceeded £60,000,000. Admittedly the bulk of this represented oxpenditure-by American visitors, but those.figures make one ponder ' the' potential value of the tourist trade to New Zealand. Even Honolulu, which' has-nothing. like the variety of attractions \ that we have to offer1, derives over £2,000,000 annually! from its tourist traffic. If our Dominion cares to take a ten^year viow of the situation and plans a progressive programme accordingly, there is no knowing'what a help tourist development may mean to our economic position. Money spent in America, boosting this country's scenic and sports attractions, is aii investment that- will pay NewZealand handsome dividends as time, goes on.' We must remember that we are eighteen days' sail from America,' and we have got to persistently - encourage its people to visit us—not many will come of their own accord. Canada, on the other hand, is just across the,border, while Honolulu is less than a week away. One man in America whom I spoke to didn 't like the idea of .spending ; .36 days out .of his lifo getting to and from New Zealand, so it is our job to overcome this slight prejudice and convince him and his fellow citizens that our country undoubtedly is worth coming six thousand odd miles to see. The bulk of the visitors who will eventually be perBiiaded to come to New Zealand belong to the class who can afford to come here now just as soon as later onj so I hope that we have not relaxed too much in our efforts to bring .tourists from U.S.A., on account of the depression.l .■■. ■.' .-. ■- - ■

"I was frankly but pleasantly surprisod at. the number of Americans who expressed-a desire to visij; New Zealand some day. Many had-'heard of our scenery, had seen literature about New Zealand, a few had read Zane Grey's book on the Dominion, and;quite a lot had perused copies of the splendid , Chriatmas annuals published by certain newspapers in this country.' The president .of a prominent Californian. tourist organisation ftold ■me that in response to a questionnaire sent out by his company to people all over the United States, New Zealand proved to be fourth1 on the list of countrios that people would like to visit. In fact, it is this particular ; man's intention to pay a visit to New Zealand at a- not distant date, because ho foresees a, considerable increase in the tourist traffic to New Zealand. I am convinced of the latent possibilities of tourist business in tho United States which simply await stimulation by sustained'and well-directed propaganda, plus something in the nature of a sales organisation to finalise bookings on a business . basis. I honestly feel that Americans are gradually- tiring of the ' Visit Europo' habit that sprang up after, the war, and will; be favourably disposed to entertain the attractions offered by the other countries that bid for their visits."