A.A. Secretary Suggests Tourism Be Fostered

Press, Volume C, Issue 29621, 18 September 1961, Page 12

A.A. Secretary Suggests Tourism Be Fostered

(New Zealand Press Association)

ROTORUA, September 17. New Zealand could do more to foster tourism, which could be one of its greatest invisible exports and sterling earners, said Mr K. L. Kelly, secretary-general of the Automobile Association of Great Britain, when he spoke to the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union at Wairakei yesterday. Even in the week that he had been in New Zealand, he had seen that the tourist attractions were greater than their publicity, he said. There was an immense potential for tourism. If tourism did become a major industry, there would be many more vehicles on the roads, and more tasks for motoring organisations. This could make the present motor union set-up in New Zealand, with its many organisations, look “stupid” in five to 10 years’ time, Mr Kelly said. “I would like to say that you saw it coming, and took steamlining action to meet it.” he said. “You might think our setup in the United Kingdom complicated, but in New Zealand you have a North Island

Motor Union and a South Island Motor Union with their 15 organisations, and a joint standing committee to bring them and the New Zealand Automobile International Touring Alliance together.” Mr Kelly said. “That is a complicated picture, which has developed because of the way New Zealand has grown up.” Now was the time to consider whether the present structure was the right one. The matter should be regarded as urgent. In the next five years, the number of visiting motorists could be very great, he said. Motoring In Britain Earlier. Mr Kelly gave an outline of the structure of the Automobile Association of Great Britain, and the tremendous growth of motoring in Britain and on the Continent. He said that the association’s whole economy was based on increasing membership. There were now 10 million motor vehicles* on British roads, five million and a half of these being private cars, and two million; motor-cycles. There had been immense growth in motor-cycle registrations. mainly because of the introduction of the motorscooter. On taxation of the motorist. Mr Kelly said that his association had not been as successful as New Zealand in persuading the Government to divert this revenue back into roads.