TOURISTS FROM AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21329, 23 November 1934, Page 8

TOURISTS FROM AUSTRALIA

LARGE NUMBER FOR NEW ZEALAND EFFECT OF INCREASED ADVERTISING New Zealand as a tourist resort is being looked to by more Australians now than ever before; yet she is not the only country within reach, and she will have to fight hard for all the trade she is to get. This is the opinion of Mr R. J. Anwyl, manager for Australia and New Zealand of Thos. Cook and Son, Ltd., travel agents, and in expressing it last evening, lie said New Zealand was making definite headway. The indications were that more Australians would visit New Zealand this year than usual, but the tours of a great many would be restricted to the North Island. The resorts with which New Zealand had to compete were too numerous to mention in detail, but for Western Australians there were Colombo and Singapore within easy reach. People in the eastern stales literally had hundreds of attractions free from conditions of time and expense, and these were very popular. But, speaking generally, New Zealand was being advertised as she had never been advertised before, and the tourists, or a large number of them, were being captured. If the Dominion wanted to go on increasing her tourist, trade, the plain method was to increase the advertising and publicity. Restriction to North Island Although a greater number of tourists was expected. Mr Anwyl said there would probably not be much more money spent than usual. This was because many of the tourists would use the boats calling at Auckland for a day or two and then going down to Wellington for a day. Some would perhaps travel overland between Auckland and Wellington, but there would not be a great many making extended trips through New Zealand. The South Island would see fewer visitors than the north because it had not a direct steamer service with Australia, but the trips being made by the Maheno would help. Mr Anwyl thought that a direct service was the only means by which the South Island could hope to build up a trade. Speaking of the relationships between the Commonwealth and the Dominion, Mr Anwyl said the Australians had a strong feeling of friendship towards New Zealanders. a feeling that was stronger Hum ever before, and if this was reciprocated, it should do much to encourage the tourists. He added that he could discount any suggestion that New Zealand was being adversely affected by publicity in the Australian newspapers. It was necessary for him to keep a very closewatch on New Zealand news, and he had never seen anything which could be calculated to damage the Dominion's prestige.