N.Z. Travellers Pose Problems For Tourist Agencies

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29728, 23 January 1962, Page 2

N.Z. Travellers Pose Problems For Tourist Agencies

New Zealanders planning holidays through travel agencies have generally an appalling lack of knowledge of their own country’s geography.

This is the contention of a Christchurch travel agency manager after several years’ experience. A survey made recently around some city travel agencies revealed a surprisingly large number of complaints from staff members and executives. All seemed agreed on the inadequacy of the average New Zealander’s approach to travel planning and booking.

However successful New Zealanders might be in arranging holidays independently, when seeking professional advice from trave' authorities, they often tended to be inexplicit, vague, and uncertain. Compared with overseas visitors in the Dominion New Zealand’s travellers seemed generally less prepared to take advice from the more travel-experienced bureau authorities. Travel "Authorities ' Although a large proportion of applicants did not seem to know anything about their own country, travel assistant® agreed that an equally large number considered themselves authorities on various scenic spots in the Dominion. “And this is so although our staffs are more travelled than most of our clients,’’ said one travel manager.

This unfortunately could have distinct Not only did such clients have an unbalanced view of their own country, but they were not diffident about confusing and changing the travel plans of overseas visitors.

Frequently such tourists had their highly organised schedules disrooted by wellmeaning, but relatively ignorant New Zealand friends and contacts, said one travel firm manager. Such remarks as "oh, you don’t want to worry about Rotorua and all that, but you must not miss Waikikamjkau,” were not always based on a realistic knowledge of New Zealand’s greatest scenic attractions. "That is at least, from the overseas traveller’s point f view,” he said. But it was essential for

New Zealanders to recognise the difference between a care-free holiday and an exploratory trip through any country to see its typical features. Planning Problems "We believe that if we are to do the job properly, travel organisations must be left to plan without too much misguided interference.” said one travel firm spokesman. ’The information we do w’ant is just the simple facts,” said another. “Where, when and how, and how much is to be spent.” "If only more persons would just do this,” said a young woman assistant during a particularly trying day’s work. Surprisingly the simple query "where to” often received the vaguest of answers. “Where to? Why the Coast.” was a common reply “Yes, but where?” "Oh. Greymouth of course.” “Single or return, sir?” "Yes, a single-return thanks.” Even the "whefi” of holiday plans was often equally difficult to discover. “If only they’d look at the calendar instead of this vague

‘book me in for Sunday week' approach. It’s so easy to cause confusion,” said one assistant.

“I think we are all expected to be mind-readers,” said another. “I want to go to Wellington on the 6th. The 6th of February we reply. Oh, no, March, of course.”

The "how” of travel could also cause indecision amongst applicants. “By sea or by air. Madam?”

“Oh, it all depends whether it’s going to be rough or not,” was a well-known answer. Pipe Dreams Unfortunately, also, there were too many would be travellers whose pipe dreams of holidaying never reached beyond the talking stage. "That’s the type who talk for ages about what they would like to do. we make all the arrangements and bookings and then never see them again,” said one assistant resignedly as she resumed afternoon duty. Travel representatives aproached did, however, emphasise that there were always a large number of helpful, considerate clients making travel applications. “It’s not that we want to complain about everyone. We do realise how much the average person's holiday means to him, and try to understand just what he wants,” said one firm's spokesman. "Whether a traveller is from overseas or from this country, we try to do our part to make him feel glad he has travelled. But it is up to the public to do their part too—particularly during the busy summer holiday season,” he said.