GROUP TRAVEL

Evening Star, Issue 23352, 23 August 1939, Page 9

GROUP TRAVEL

CHEAPER HOLIDAYS i ORGANISATION FORMED SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT i “ See your own country first ” is the spirit underlying the formation of the Group Travel 'Association of New Zealand incorporated,' which, has been organised'for the purpose of removing, or at least reducing, the barrier of costs of travel and accommodation which prevents many of the lower-paid workers from travelling in their own 'cduntry. It was realised by the founders of the movement that there were many people of this class in the country who had never travelled a great distance from their home towns, and the association was formed with the object of bringing to them the j°ys or travel and finding pastures new. The association had been incorporated for only a short period, but already it has been responsible for the conduct of special trips in which approximately 1,000 people in the South Island have taken part. The organising manager (Mr H. Coxhead) is at' present in Dunedin, and this morning explained to a ‘ Star ’ representative the principles of the scheme. The movement, which was inaugurated by the, Hon. ■ W. E. Parry. Minister of Internal Affairs, through the National Council of Physical Recreation, of which he is chairman, has met with remarkable success, and by the end of this month more than 1,000 workers from factories, shops, and offices, will have taken advantage of this movement, which aims at bringing health-giving- and recreative holidays within reach of every New Zealander. The movement was officially opened by the Minister at a representative meet-, ing of travel interests at Christchurch on August 3, when he gave his full support to the activities of the Group Travel Association of New Zealand. The Group Travel Association has been formed to set up the necessary machinery for the purpose of carrying into effect the scheme for cheap travel during what are at present the slack periods in the tourist industry. The members of this association are the main transport and hotel organisations in the South Island, while the movement is a,f co-operative one embracing every centre and tourist resort. By co-opera-tion the industry is able to offer the exceptionally low rates for group travel parties of £l a day, which covers-trans-port and accommodation. The of the organisation is another important factor, said Mr Coxhead. in that parties will be able to choose their own routes and go from guy centre in the South .Island to ’ any other.. The Minister already has- the North Island organised on a similar basis. The seasonal fluctuation which the tourist industry has to- face has, .in the past, necessitated the dispensing of staffs in hotels and on. motor services during'the'slack periods, and this movement will considerably help to obviate this undesirable aspect of the Unemployment problem, • . , . Mr Coxhead cited a case in which the first party for a week-end group travel trip by a Christchurch factory of 20 was-so much appreciated that the party immediately booked tor a second tour when the number was increased.to 50. The same party Las now made another forward booking for 50 for November. In many cases the employers are beginning to appreciate the fact that healthy workers are contented workers, said Mr Coxhead, and in some, instances tours and trips were being subsidised by them, while in one case the employer granted the whole staff of 40' the expenses to cover the, whole week-end trip. BIGGEST OF ITS TYPE.” “ if is undoubtedly the biggest movement of its type yet attempted in the Dominion,” said Mr Coxhead. “ District organisers have been appointed in all the main centres, and the reports from them is to the effect that group travel between now and Christmas will be particularly heavy. All interests are being co-operated, and the whole movement is based on co-operation, firstly between the association and the Government, and secondly within the travel industry itself. The question of subsidising tours for mothers who were unable to afford even the low rates of the group travel scheme was at present receiving the consideration of the association and the Minister. In each centre the movement was being handled under the auspices of the Physical Welfare and Recreational District Committees.” ■

Emphasising the extent to which a successful tour had inspired a desire for more, Mr Coxhead instanced the case of a Women’s Institute in South Canterbury, which had commenced with a small tour .to Mount Cook, and had later gone to the West Coast and to Queenstown. Arrangements were now in handler-a"party from the same organisation to leave early in November for Dunedin and Invercargill, travelding to the latter city by the Gatlins route. A visit to the Egliuton Valley would take • place before , returning home.