FEWER VISITORS FROM ABROAD

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23082, 26 July 1940, Page 12

FEWER VISITORS FROM ABROAD

WAR DISRUPTS TOURIST TRAVEL

The war was respopsible for a serious decline in the number.of visitors to New Zealand from overseas, states the annual report of the Toiirist and Publicity Department for the year to March 31. 1940, but it has opened up great possibilities of attracting Europeans on leave from the East. The total of tourists visiting the Dominion for the year was 6891, against 21,762 the year before, and 19,532 in the 1937-38 year. . ~ . “The overseas tourist trade during the last six months of the year has been reduced to a minimum; indeed, the decrease started to be noticeable some little time before war broke out, particularly from the United Kingdom,’’ the report states. “Immediately on the outbreak of wpr pleasure travel from the United Kingdom ceased entirely. The department ceased its representation in the High Comrnissioner’s office. American and Australian travel also fell away practically to nothing. However, with the decision by the United States Government that their ships might visit belligerent countries in the Pacific and the fact that that ocean has been kept free from enemy raiders, a small but fairly steady trickle of visitors has resumed. ~ . , “The imposing by the Australian Government of certain restrictions on currency, coupled with a fairly heavy increase in steamer fares, has caused visitors from the Commonwealth to be confined to businessmen, though a few New Zealanders have returned to participate in centennial celebrations and to visit the exhibition. “But war, by a curious paradox, has greatly developed the possibilities of tourist traffl® from a quarter whence, previously, comparatively few visitors have come.. The impossibility of Europeans proceeding home on leave from the Netherlands East Indies, Malay • Peninsula, and other parts of the East, together with the insistence b/ employers that leave outside the tropics must still be taken, led, to a small spate of inquiries from those countries. Immediately an advertising campaign was instituted by the department, a full supply of booklets, itineraries, and other publicity media was sent to our various agents, and every step was taken to ensure that full information regarding out attractions and travel facilities was made available, including a booklet specially prepared for Eastern distribution. Inquiries were received from as far afield as India and Japan, while others came from French Indo-China and Siam, and to these countries, too, full information has been sent. "Skeleton advertising campaigns are still being maintained in ,the United States and Australia to keep the name of the Dominion before the public so that our share of overseas travel may be secured without interruption when the final victory has been won. “The department was represented at both the New York World’s Fair and the San Francisco Golden Gate Exposition, and keen interest in our exhibits is reported by the officers in charge. All material Tor the exhibits was prepared by the department’s studios.”