RECORD* SEASON

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 136, 5 December 1929, Page 28

RECORD* SEASON

TOURISTS IN ENGLAND

The tourist season in England, which reached its high-water mark last September, is now rapidly approaching its end.

Westward-bound vessels are filled to capacity, and passengers who have not reserved accommodation are finding it difficult to secure berths.

This has been a record tourist year for the British Isles, the glorious lumtZ t aT g pr Mv6d a g?eat Twenty-five million pounds, it is estimated, has been left behind by visitors from other lands.

In the five- months of April, May, June, July, ana August American visi! tors alone numbered 100,000, the official fignres for the first three of these months being 43,000. In Ju] y and August, it is estimated, nearly 60,000 Americans came over. Transatlantic visitors compose more than 80 per cent of- the whole traffic, those from other places numbering a mere 20 000 the majority from the Dominions. All classes of people comprised the army of American invaders, from the student who travelled steerage and lunched in small eating houses to the millionaire- who travelled in a statecabin and dined in Mayfair. The bulk were composed of middle-class people who are being more aud more attracted to this country. "They have shown a marked disposition to visit the centres of historic interest and natural beauty known to them," said an official of the Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland to a "Daily Express" representative, but fast motor-coach services in bcotland and the West of England and steamers to Ireland are helping to expand this limited outlook and to introduce to Americans less known centres. "Tourist agencies have been quick to take adavntage of the opportunities opened up this year. Enterprising firms captured the tourists immediately on landing at Plymouth, Liverpool, or Southampton, launching them on a 'Round Britain' tour.

"One firm alone, acting for American agencies, has kept three motorcoaches fully occupied for four months on a tour which begins at Plymouth and includes in. one great sweep points of interest from the West of England through Bath, Oxford, Stratford-on-Avon, Chester, the Lakes, the Burns country, the Trossachs, the Highlands and back by Edinburgh, York, Cambridge, ana Ely to London. " 'On these and other tours,' said the manager of this firm, 'we have handled nearly 3000 Americans this summer.'

"Next year promises to create another record. The early summer arrivals were affected by the smallpox scare and the uncertainty of the American markets, which kept many business men at home. This year's summer, ana the general belief that we have entered on a five years' cyclo of fine weather, coupled with the glowing reports brought back' by tourists, should have a great effect on bookings."