TOURIST TRAFFIC

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 3 June 1930, Page 7

TOURIST TRAFFIC

CANADA'S GREAT ASSET 300,000,000 DOLLARS IN 1929 The great and increasing importance of the tourist traffic, which has, ill fact, become one of Canada's major industries, is evidenced by the preliminary estimate of the value of this traffic for 192!) issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, says the Montreal "Gazette."

Estimated expenditure in Canada of tourists from other countries: —■

Tourists to Canada may be divided into three classes, for which separate estimates have been made as follow:

(1) Tourists via ocean ports: 'Me increasing popularity of third class tourist travel is shown by the increase of this class of passenger io 4,707 in 1929. Saloon and cabin class passengers declined from 3,002 and 6,103 to 2,859 and '.5,906 respectively. The expenditure of tourists via ocean ports is estimated at 10,685,000 dol., an increase of about 89,000d0l over last year. (2) Tourists from the United States by automobile: Automobiles from the United States entered for touring in 1929, as reported by the Department of National Revenue, numbered 4,508,809, as compared with 3,045,455 in 1928. Of the 4,508,809 cars, 0,410,588 entered Canada for one day or less, 1.091,014 for two to sixty days, and 1.207 for sixty-one (lays to six months. Applying, to each of these classes estimated rates (13dol, ISOdol, and SOOdol respectively), computed in conjunction with the United States Department of Commerce as a result of circularising individual tourists, the expenditure of , automobile tourists in Canada is esti- \ mated to have been 208,744,000 dollars, an increase of twenty-six million dol- i lars over last year.

(3) Tourists from the United States by rail and steamer: Returns from railway and steamship companies are not yet complete, but on the basis of those received it is estimated that the expenditure of this class of tourist will show an increase of from five to eight million dollars, and will amount to about eighty million dollars.

Thus the total value of the tourist business to Canada in 1929 may be conservatively estimated at around 300 million dollars. The remarkable growth of this traffic in recent years is apparent when this figure is compared with a similar estimate of eightythree million dollars for 1920.

Estimated expenditures of Canadian tourists in other countries: (1) Canadian tourists via ocean ports: Saloon and cabin class passengers declined slightly, being 2,815 and 11,253 in 1929, as compared with 2,822 and 11,547 respectively in 1928; while tourist third passengers increased from 22,093 to 20,291. These tourists are estimated to have spent in other countries in 1929 20,000,000d0l as compared with 18,827,000d0l in 1928.

(2) Canadian tourists to the United States by automobile: Canadian cars entering the United States for touring purposes numbered 019,572 in 1929, as compared with 519,871 in 1928, and the tourists in these cars are estimated to have spent about 05,005,000d01, an increase of approximately nine million dollars over last year."

(3) Canadian tourists to the United States ; by rail and steamer: From incomplete" returns from railway and steamship companies it is estimated that the expenditure of this class of tourist will amount to about 20,000,000 dollars, as compared with 24,033,000 dollars last year.