QANTAS STAFF

Press, Volume C, Issue 29620, 16 September 1961, Page 13

QANTAS STAFF

Familiarisation Tour Of N.Z.

A party of Qantas Empire Airways sales and tourist promotion staff from Australia arrived in Christchurch last evening in the course of a “good look around” New Zealand’s tourist attractions.

Qantas will begin its new trans-Tasman services on October 3 and the purpose of this trip is to make 22 of Qantas’ employees familiar with the country they will be “selling” to Australian and other overseas tourists. Mr G. S. Colledge, from the Auckland office of the New Zealand Government Tourist Bureau, is travelling with the party as tour manager.

He said the cost of the tour was being shared by Qantas, the New Zeeland Government Tourist Bureau, hotel chains, the New Zealand Road Services, private air companies and other tourist organisations.

The party began its 10-day tour in Auckland on Tuesday and will spend the next six days visiting Christchurch. Dunedin, Queenstown and Mount Cook.

“We're really starting to push New Zealand in Australia now.” said Mr Colledge. “and this scheme has been organised because it was felt that Qantas cannot really sell something its people haven’t seen.” Mr D. G. Murphy, sales representative from Qantas’ head office in Sydney, said he felt the New Zealand tour was a very valuable trip. “I’ve been to a few countries,” he said, “and this has really been an eye-opener. “Once we get working on it and start promoting the places we have seen in New Zealand people will start realising what a wonderful place they have to visit only a few hours away from Australia.”

Mr Murphy said he felt the average New Zealander did not try to promote his country enough, and consequently most Australians knew very little about New Zealand. “I’ve met hundreds of New Zealanders in Australia, and 80 per cent of them don’t seem to realise just what they have in the way of tourist attractions at their own doorstep.” He said three or four more similar parties would be visiting New Zealand soon on “familiarisation trips.” They would be Qantas agent; from Australia and other countries.