BIG GROWTH IN TOURIST TRAFFIC

Northern Advocate, 30 November 1937, Page 7

BIG GROWTH IN TOURIST TRAFFIC

f Per Press Association. Copyright .l WELLINGTON, This Day. Details of the work being undertaken by the Tourist Department were given in the House of Representatives last night by the Minister-in-Charge, the Hon. F. Langstone. Speaking during consideration, of the Public Works Estimates, Mr W. P. Endean (Opposition Parnell) dealt with the vote of £30,000 for the development of tourist resorts, and asked how far such development had gone since 1934. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition—Stratford) asked for an, assurance that Taranaki should not be overlooked in the development of tourist resorts. The Minister-in-Charge of the Tourist Department, the Hon. F. Langstone, said the department did everything it could to see that every district should get consideration with regard to tourist resorts. Referring to the development of tourist traffic, he said the number of overseas tourists visiting New Zealand last year was 17,297, compared with 14,284 previous year, the revenue last year was £100,678, compared with £84,000 the previous year. Mr Langstone continued that expenditure last year was £155,000, against £137,000 the year before and the number of tickets actually sold by the Tourist Department had increased from 241.000 in 1932, to 480,000 in 1937. He added that he had just heard that a number of tourists, who had been all over the world, had stated ! that they had never received such fine * service as they had in New Zealand.