PROMISE OF HEAVY TOURIST TRAFFIC

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 41, 12 November 1937, Page 10

PROMISE OF HEAVY TOURIST TRAFFIC

Auckland Hotels Will Be r Fully Taxed

ADVANCE BOOKINGS By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, November 11. An unprecedented How, of tourist traffic to the South Pacific, an influx of thousands to the city for the Roman Catholic centenary in February and the usual demands of New Zealanders on holiday have resulted in Auckland hotels receiving heavy advance bookings for accommodation in January and February. There is every indication that the better public and private hotels will be fully taxed in January, and in a number of cases it has already proved necessary to refuse aiipllcations for rooms over this period. “From Christmas Eve until the end Of January bookings have been almost phenomenal,’’ said. the manager of a city hotel. “In addition to many people who travel from the south for the northern racing carnivals, there is promise of a record number of overseas visitors. It seems probable that the principal hotels will be booked out by the travelling public.” For some weeks one of the largest Auckland private hotels has been booked out over the Christmas period, and it has been necessary to return deposits to people anxious to gain accommodation at the rate of seven and eight a day. It is regarded by the management as the greatest demand for many years and a gratifying feature lies in the probability that the busy period will extend until at least the middle of February. “We shall never be able to cope with the influx of visitors, particularly overseas tourists, which is expected in January,” observed the proprietress of another hotel. In the case of another establishment the management has had the unusual experience of receiving in November 40 bookings for the first week in January, and it is considered that many of the hotels will be fully booked over this period by the middle of this month. The Sino-Japanese conflict and the uncertainty of the Eastern position has also resulted In the diversion of a considerable proportion of tourist traffic to Australia and New Zealand.