TOURIST TRAFFIC

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 7

TOURIST TRAFFIC

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

MEETING COMPETITION

An announcement ; that .the development of the tourist traffic ;in New Zealand was now in the hands of a 'very .committee .was made in the House not Representatives last evening by the Minister in Charge of the and ..Publicity Department (My. .Parry). He said he was convinced that when the plan was completed-it wouldtgiye satisfaction to everyone and would provide the facilities for competing successfully with other countries seeking to build up a tourist market. People;must;be encouraged to come to -New Zealand, said the Minister. 'Fresh .tours had to be opened; up and hotels improved. fHotel accommodation !had '■ to be • provided so far as: the .State was,concerned, and<many .hotels run by private enterprise might • have to be assisted .so ;that ithey .would be in keeping .with overseas .requirements.- The "Dominion "had to be developed "ffrom s the ttourist ;angle rfrom north to southland the .programme now in hand would - give general satisfaction. ... '..'•''. ; , Mr. Parry -was replying tb questions raised during the discussion on the Department's vote in the Estimates. Mri W. Sullivan (National, Bay Of Plenty)' said tourist traffic should be fostered to the maximum. When the war was over there would be a great influx of visitors to New Zealand, and that would be aided by the development' of air travel. He mentioned a vote of £14,000 to cover the cost of operating the Tokaanu Hotel, recently purchased by.the Government for, he believed, £23,000. It appeared that £14,000 for maintenance was a large sum. Was it intended to have further State control of health resorts? Some indication should be given by the Government as to what steps were to be taken for the development of tourist resorts generally. Mr. F. W. Doidge (National, Tauranga) said there would be a rush of tourists to New Zealand after the war and films of the Dominion shown in the United States and Great Britain would help considerably. Air travel would bring about an amazing change. New Zealand would be within three days travel of New York and five days travel of London. That meant great _ possibilities 'for tourist traffic. He suggested that trade commissioners should be appointed abroad in the same way as had been announced by Australia.