PUBLICITY OFFICIALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 276, 22 November 1927, Page 10

PUBLICITY OFFICIALS.

! j APPOINTED TO MAIL BOATSj j NEW OFFICER JOINS NIAGARA. ! FULFILS DUAL CAPACITY. j I _ New Zealand tourist attractions are! well advertised, and are drawing yearly an increasing army of overseas visitors. The great fault with our present projpaganda, however, is that it fixes one particular attraction in the mind of the| prospective tourist. He arrives, spends) all of his time at the one place where J vaunted sights or sports have concen- [ trated his attention, and departs, liav-' ing "visited New Zealand." It is too; late to tell him, ere his departure, that! there are other places in either island ■ equally worth a visit. His arrange-1 ments have been made beforehand; his| bookings have been completed, and can-j not be upset at a day's or an hour's; notice.

Official Advice to Tourists. The failure of most visitors to see most of our wonderful islands has moved the Government to take a step that will be greatly to the advantage of the tourist from afar. By co-operation between the Postal and Railways Departments, and presumably the Tourist Department also, the passenger on either the Vancouver or the 'Frisco marl boat will have at his disposal the services of a speciall trained officer, who has first-hand knowledge of New Zealand, its beauty spots, its sporting facilities, and its various means of transport. This officer will take the place of mail agent, who formerly travelled between New Zealand and the Pacific Slope, and in addition to fulfilling his duties, will act as a publicity agent, supplying itineraries, arranging bookings, 'and generally seeing that the sight-seer travels through the Dominion with the best comfort, and in a manner that, without fatigue, brings the greatest number of our attractions under his notice. Four Officers to Act.

Two weeks ago there left from Weljlington, by the Tahiti, the first of the four officials who will undertake this special duty. To-dav, Mr. M. Cummins, of the P. and T. Department, joins the Niagara in a similar capacity. Two others will join the Aorangi and the Makura when they next leave New Zealand, and the system will then be iu full operation. The advantages to the tourist traffic should quickly be noticeable, and to visitors themselves the innovation will be a decided boon. Afajj steamer passengers will no longer spend, in ignorance, too long a period in one' spot, and then work themselves to exhaustion point in an endeavour to rush through the rest of the "sights." They will be able to discuss with one who knows the attractions, accommodation, anjl travel routes.of the country, and

j will even be forewarned of the things !which are likely to detract from an enjoyable holiday. ! The co-operation between various Govieminent Departments has made this scheme practicable with a minimum of expense, for it will cost little more than the mere mail agent duties did, and will .fill a decided want. Later there may Ibe the chance to extend these activities, | for at least the summer season, to the Australian mail boats, where definite j advice on the best methods of spending {a holiday in the Dominion is badly wanted, judging from the hazy ideas of New Zealand that are possessed by many who cross the Tasman for a cooler holiday.