HOLIDAYS ABROAD

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 5 January 1935, Page 6

HOLIDAYS ABROAD

PASSENGERS TO ENGLAND. MORE STEAMER BOOKINGS. Advance steamer bookings indicate that there is likely to be a considerable exodus of New Zealanders on over' seas holiday visits during the next few months. February, March and April are the popular months with travellers, as departure at that time enables people from the Dominion to reach England in the spring or early summer. Passenger hookings on all routes for vessels saTTxng during these months is already considerably in excess of the figures for last year. The passenger representative- of a large shipping firm said that bookings were being made almost exclusively by people travelling on either business or pleasure, together with a large number who combined both objectives. A few years ago most of the homeward passenger traffic was confined to assisted immigrants who had decided to return to England. The general experience of shipping, companies is teal the returning immigrant traffic has now practically ceased. In any case, it was largely confined to vessels on the Panama route and this year the direct bookings to England are almost equalled by the numbor of intending travellers via. Canada and the United States, or through Australia and by the Suez Canal route. All companies report increased bookings and a decided upward trend in the passenger traffic genera llv.

Single class tourist liners are proving increasingly popular with New Zealanders travelling to England on holiday. One line has two such vessels scheduled to sail via Panama in February and at the end of March and already passenger accommodation on both ships is practically fully booked. Similar liners are engaged on the Suez route, and are also attracting a large number of New Zealand passengers. However, the improvement in the transpacific bookings to England is generally regarded as one of the most promising features.