U.S. TOURISTS IN WINTER

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28936, 2 July 1959, Page 18

U.S. TOURISTS IN WINTER

“Big Potential In NX*

American tourists who cannot afford to come to New Zealand in the peak summer season may soon be coming here for winter visits, according to an American whose firm organises tours into the Pacific area.

He is Mr C. F. Holmes, a director of Pacific Pathways, San Francisco, who, accompanied by his wife, arrived in Christchurch yesterday after spending two weeks touring the Dominion. Their visit is the third for Mr Holmes and the first for his wife.

His firm considers there is a big tourist potential in the New Zealand winter season, and it intends to develop this by aiming at Americans in the middle income bracket.

Mr Holmes said he would like to see the first tour arrive about mid-June next year; The key problem at present was possible reduction of transportation costs. His firm was also interested in sponsoring, visits by New Zealanders to America’s west coast at any time of the year, he said. Having spent two weeks m both the North and South Islands Mr and Mrs Holmes were impressed with the new Hermitage They said it compared very favourably with winter resorts they had seen in America. Smaller Towns

The smaller towns ui the Dominion generally offered much better facilities to tourists than their American counterparts, but the larger cities suffered in comparison with America, he said. To sell New Zealand to the American people it was necessary to imbue them with a sense ol adventure in travelling to a littleknown land, its novelty and, in some cases, snobbery. “Plenty of us have been to Europe, but few to New Zealand.” he said. Aside from tourism, Mr Holmes raises sheep on his north Californian ranch. Carrying up to a maximum of 13.000 head, he normally sells about 6000 fat lambs annually.