Choir’s Tour Means Of Trade Promotion

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30760, 26 May 1965, Page 1

Choir’s Tour Means Of Trade Promotion

Plans are being made in Christchurch to use the Christchurch Harmonic Society’s coming visits to Britain, the Continent and the United States for the promotion of New Zealand exports and tourism.

The Canterbury Sales and Marketing Executives’ Club has discussed the possibilities with the society and has established a committee to prepare a plan. Mr R. S. Scott, the club’s president, said yesterlay that the Christchurch Harmonic Society choir was recognised as one of the best in the world, and he felt it could make an impact overseas beyond the field of music. “No Real Depth”

“New Zealand’s image abroad is not as fine as we would like it to be,” said Mr Scott. “It has no real depth. We’re known for our Peter Snells, our footballers and our Sir Edmund Hillarys, but we have never been assor-

ated with anything in the cultural field.”

Mr Scott said specific ways of using the choir’s trip to promote New Zealand would be recommended by the four-man committee, whose members were all experienced in overseas marketing. “The Government could be asked to assist in some way,” he said, “through our trade commissioners who have power to arrange publicity in the countries where they are stationed. There are the producer boards, too. “The choir will be singing in Boston, and it just happens that Boston is one of the few American cities that is a substantial user of lamb.”