“The Little Things Count” In The Tourist Industry

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28438, 19 November 1957, Page 7

“The Little Things Count” In The Tourist Industry

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, November 18. The British Overseas Airways Corporation’s manager for the west coast of the United States (Mr H. J. Bingham), who is on a short visit to New Zealand, said tonight that the often-referred-to

“accG’mmodation complaint” was only part of the whole tourist problem. The American visitor to New Zealand was very susceptible to lack of detail.

“It’s the little things that count,” said Mr Bingham. “Take only the outside of many a New Zealand hotel. Even the best could de with a bit of paint.

“If a tourist can retire to his room and sink into a comfortable armchair, you’ve just about won the first round.” The rooms did not have to be luxuriously furnished, so long as they had furniture designed for real comfort.

What air traveller would think of bringing shoe polish? asked Mr Bingham. Yet all those who arrived on’or just before the weekend would find no shops open where they could buy shoe polish, and nowhere in New Zealand would they find shoe-shine boys.

“An American wants orange juice for breakfast, and not tomato juice or grapefruit.” he said. “You could just about sell him New Zealand with orange juice alone.”

The Americans were souvenir hunters, yet the wood carvings

and other souvenirs sold in New Zealand lacked a great deal of finishing touch, compared with those of many other countries.

“Commercialise your souvenirs,” he said, “but before all polish the wooden ones with twice the shine that they have now. And where can they get postcards on a Saturday or Sunday? Americans are probably the keenest postcard senders in the world.”