N.Z. TOURIST INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28491, 22 January 1958, Page 7

N.Z. TOURIST INDUSTRY

Talks With New Minister

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 21. Talks on the tourist industry and its ability to earn overseas exchange will take place between the Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr J. Mathison) and representatives of the New Zealand Travel and Holidays’ Association in Wellington on February 4 and 5. This was announced in Auckland today by the president of the association (Mr E. A. Robinson). Mr Robinson said that discussions on the first day would be with members of the executive of the association, and on the second day the Minister would talk with the full board. He said the board numbered about 50 representatives from all sections of the industry, • and added: “All are ready, willing and able to do their utmost to increase the country’s earnings ol overseas exchange as quickly as possible at this critical time.” It was not generally realised, said Mr Robinson, that more than 40,000 New Zealanders were now directly involved in the functioning of the visitor industry, which was producing about £4m in overseas exchange earnings a year, including more than Im dollars. Without too much effort to date, because the association was of recent growth, the annual increase over the last three years had been less than £lm a year, but this could now be substantially and rapidly increased with a little co-ordinated planning and organ isation.