A Tourist’s Appreciation

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 129, 24 February 1939, Page 11

A Tourist’s Appreciation

Sir,—dn your issue of February 21 there appears an article complaining of the alleged inefficiency of the Government Tourist Department and of the consequent inconveniences suffered by certain Australian visitors to this country. From my own experience I should like to present the other side of the picture. When I had made up my mind to spend three months touring through New Zealand, I wrote to New Zealand House in London asking if they could supply me with any information in regard to means of travel, hotels, etc. In their reply, the Tourist Department requested me to let them know the dates of my arrival in and. departure from this country and the names of any places where I had friends, whom I wished to visit. This I did. A few days later I received from them a printed booklet in an embossed leather cover. This contained a suggested itinerary for my tour—worked out to the smallest detail, descriptions and photographs of various places of interest and explanations of sight-seeing expeditions. The approximate cost had also been assessed. The arrangements led to a good deal of correspondence and I was amazed at the trouble that was taken on my behalf. I could not help asking the London officials whether all unknown would-be visitors like myself to New Zealand (were treated with the same consideration. I have now completed a two months’ tour of the (North Island. During that time I have come into contact with the Government Tourist Offices at Auckland, Gisborne, Hastings, Rotorua and Wellington. Everywhere I have met with the utmost courtesy, and the arrangements that have been made on my behalf for reservations in hotels, service cars, etc., have been done in the most efficient and businesslike way. I am now going off to the 'South Island and am confident that I shall receive the same treatment there. I take it that it is the desire of the Government and people of New Zealand to encourage tourists to come to their wonderful country, and I am sure that their Tourist Offices both in London and here are doing a most valuable work in achieving this end. It had been my intention to acknowledge the debt I owed to them when I had completed my tour in this country, but the article to which I refer above has caused me to anticipate this.—l am, etc., - GRANVILLE BARIIE, Of Bllton Grange, Rugby, England. Wellington, February 23.