SOUTH TOUR

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29273, 3 August 1960, Page 10

SOUTH TOUR

Praise By Travel Agents

Twelve Australian travel agents, have praised the South Island. They are doing a tour of New Zealand with special emphasis on seeing winter sports facilities. They are being conducted by Mr C. Wilkins of the Tourist and Publicity Department. “Absolutely perfect,” said one member referring to the Hermitage where the party stayed for two days. They agreed that the Hermitage was as good as the internationally - known Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Honolulu. They said they thought very highly of New Zealand hotels and found them much better in some respects than Australian hotels. The co-ordination between various means of transport impressed Mr A. Crisp. He said it would not be unusual in Australia to have to wait several hours to get a train after such a journey as that in the inter-island steamer-express. The speed with which one arrived in Christchurch after coming off the ship was rare in Australian transport, he said. "One small point though, said Mr Crisp. "We Australians like our drinks cold. We couldn’t get a cold beer in Timaru and had trouble getting a piece of ice for our Scotch,” he said. Mr G. W. Ward said the system of hotel tariffs in New Zealand was good from a travel agents point of view. “When people inquire about a trip they want to know how much it will cost • them, and not find that there are a lot of ‘hidden costs,’ such as paying for meals,” he said. ( Australian hotels were tending to adopt the plan of having, “bed only” as the fixed tariff with one paying for meals as one wanted them. The party arrived in Wellington lost Tuesday on the inaugural T.E.A.L. flight to Rongotai. The agents have since visited Mount ; Cook, Lake Ohau, and Coronet 1 Peak, Queenstown. They will i visit Mount Ruapehu. Waitomo and Rotorua before leaving for Australia.