American Tourists Want Rental Cars And Motels

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27710, 14 July 1955, Page 12

American Tourists Want Rental Cars And Motels

“American tourists will spend their money here, if you want their money —and there is a lot of them,” said Mr Clement D. Johnston, chairman of the board of directors of the United States Chamber of Commerce, in answer to a question by a reporter of “The Press” yesterday. As he was to spend only 16 days in New Zealand, he could make no valid comments on New Zealand, said Mr Johnston. His only comment was that he was completely entranced with the marvellous scenery. “With the improvement in transportation, I think you can confidently look for a steadily increasing flow of American tourists—if you want American tourists. Before it took three months to have a vacation in New Zealand; now the tourist can fly and have a vacation in three weeks.” Asked what he meant by “if you want them,” Mr Johnston smiled. “Well, you might not want them,” he replied. “The American people are diverse. Some talk loud, and ’vide women wear very red slacks along the streets when they are on vacation. It is what we call the ‘Coney Island atmosphere’—people on holiday acting like a holiday.” Two things American tourists would require in New Zealand were a car to [rent for driving through the country

and motels, w’hich, in America, were rapidly displacing hotels. Driving their own car, Mr Johnston and his wife travel 40.000 miles a year. He said they invariably stayed at motels, because of the convenience and time saving. Motels had developed into very comfortable places, with private baths, good beds, television sets in most rooms, and small restaurants serving necessaries. Some had swimming pools. Motels were becoming a feature of American life, said Mr Johnston. He knew of no small American city building a hotel. But thousands of motels were being built. In his own city of Roanoke. Virginia. 213 motels with more than 1000 rooms had been built and others were building all round the city. An extreme example was Ocala, Florida, with a population of 15,000, which had 90 motels. Travellers stayed at the motels at half the price charged by hotels. In hotels, the charge was 10 to 12 dollars for a couple a day while at motels the charges were from three dollars and a half to seven dollars. “And there are no bell boys to battle with,” said Mr Johnston. “You just drive up and carry out your own bags There is no necessity to make reservations in advance. We estimate that v ' make an extra 100 miles a da?' [through time saved.”