THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 19, 23 January 1929, Page 6

THE TOURIST TRAFFIC.

A TASK POR SIR JOSEPH WARD.

(To the Editor.)

Many people are wondering what the new Government is doing in regard to the questiot of advertising the Dominion in other countries. Rotarians from Xew Zealand who attended the recent conference in Japan report that they saw advertising matter belonging to even country except the one #*iey came from. We have no agent in America. Surelv this is « very bad state of affairs. We should have agents in America. Australia and the East - New Zealand had 1008 less tourists last year than the year before. Our tourist traffic from Australia is considerably less than it was marv * years ago. Nothing has been done in America to let the wealthy Americans know that the* can reach this country in a ramparatirelV short time at small cost. It is estimated that the tourists of Europe and America spend £4Ti0,000.000 every vear and New Zealand «r»« only £1,000,000 of "that amount. Surely hW only the lack of good go-getting represents, tives from the Dominion in America and Euroae and the expenditure 01 a few thousands vearlr that prevents the swelling of this amount u> £1.>.00C.000 pe r annum. The Goverameat should first of all appoint half a dozen mm to represent us in other countries. These men should lie New Zcalanders who know their* country thoroughly. When I was in London I found that most of the High Commissioner's staff was composed of Englishmen who had never seen New Zealand and who knew nothior about the Dominion. All those who come in contact with the general public in the Hi** Commissioners office should be Xew Zealaaders with an up-to-date knowledge of their own country. The present Government hat % splendid op|tortunity in connection with touriq traffic and proper advertising «.f the Dominion'* attractions. Will they let the opportunitv P» ss - NEW ZEALAXDER