Tourist Deluge In Northland

Northern Advocate, 27 December 1937, Page 2

Tourist Deluge In Northland

Never before has Northland seen so many tourists, as it has in the first few days of the present Christmas season. Every main road in the territory has had a stream of traffic over it. and the principal highways throughout the peninsula have been literally deluged with tourists. Reports from the local agency of the Automobile Association are to the effect that every camping site in the North is filled almost to capacity and is already heavily booked cut for the next few weeks. The unprecedented volume of traffic shows no signs of diminishing, and is expected to continue well on into the New Year.

In Whangarei itself, there is every evidence of the extraordinary number ■ffi visitors to the district. The greater percentage of local residents have gone visiting other places, and the majority of people seen in the # ,strcets are obviously strangers, enjoying their holidays away from home. Hotels and boarding houses are doing flourishing trade, as is to be expected at this Lime of the year. Although most of them- had a particularly ‘’easy” week prior to Christmas, they are making up leeway with a vengeance, and are finding it difficult to cope with the demand for beds and meals.

Garages also are doing phenomenal trade. Whangarei is the natural stopping place for Far North travellers, and is the recognised port of call for human and mechanical refreshments. That those refreshments arc being sought after and provided for is easily seen by a casual glance along any of (lie streets. As one garage proprietor said: “Everyone who goes north has to come south again, and provided he docs not leave out Whangarei on the return journey via DargavilJc. there is every possibility Ural a Far North tourist will be a return customer on the way back.'’ It that is so. the next month) or 'two

should see a town full of smiling

garage men and hotel proprietors.