American Motorists Yield Best Returns for Canada

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 149, 25 June 1937, Page 11

American Motorists Yield Best Returns for Canada

OTTAWA. —Of all the tourists going into Canada by land, sea and air, those driving in from the United .States are the most numerous aud leave the largest amount of cash. Tourists entering Canada via ocean ports last year are reported to have spent only a little over 10,000,000 in Canada, while those crossing the United States border in automobiles spent over 159,000,000 dollars. It was also estimated that those using other methods—such as airplane and railroads—left 84,000,000 behind them. Of over 4,000,000 automobiles crossing the border, about two thirds were in the class “admitted for a period not exceeding 4S hours." The average expenditure of motorists of this class was estimated at 17.85 dollars. The Canada-United States route is called tho most travelled tourist route in the world. From an economic standpoint the market for goods and services furnished by an influx of tourists is not only a lucrative source of revenue for individuals and whole districts, but is, tor many countries, an important factor in the balance of international payments. The expenditure of foreign visitors xn a country has the same affect, in so far as its influence on the balance of trade is concerned, as the export of additional exports would have. Instead of sending goods and services to consumers abroad, the latter are induced to move to the good and services. Thus tourist traffic is an invisible export which helps many countries to pay for the roads and services they buy from other countries or to pay interest on the money they borrow from abroad. Canada's balance of trade in this “commodity," especially with the United States, is very lavourable. The value in the peak year of 1929 was estimated at 309,000,000 dollars, while expenditure of Canadian tourists abroad totalled approximately 122,000,000 dollars. With shrinking incomes and the other concomitants of depression there was progressive decline until the low level was reached in 1933 of 117,000,000 dollars. The next year it began to pick up again until last year it was valued at 255,763,000 dollars, with possibilities of soon reaching the top mark. Canada’s potential value as a summer and winter playground cannot be estimated in dollars and cents, let alone in health, happiness and general prosperity. This country is second to none in tho disposition of natural attributes, including a wide range of picturesque scenery, an invigorating climate, unrivalled opportunities for hunting, fishing and other sports, for exploration and adventure. Already only the exports of wheat and paper rank with tourist traffic, and in several recent years the last has surpassed them both. Ono has only to take up his stand at either end of any 01 the international bridges on a holiday to become impressed with the greatness of this twoway traffic between friendly neighbours.