INFLUX OF TOURISTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21983, 14 December 1934, Page 14

INFLUX OF TOURISTS

BUSY SEASON INDICATED MINISTER REVIEWS POSITION [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] ' INVERCARGIL, Thursday " I am pleased to bo able to state that it is now clear that the tourist traffic to New Zealand will this year show a large increase over the figures of the last four years," said the Minister in Charge of the Tourist and Publicity Departments, the Hon. A. Hamilton, to-day. " Not only is tho number of tourists who have already visited, or who -are visiting, the Dominion much larger, early though tho season yet is, but judging from the collated reports of the department's overseas commissioners and officers greatly increased bookings have already been made for the rest of the season, and still further augmentation is confidently expected. Passenger lists on all incoming liners, added Mr. Hamilton, were heavier than in any of the four preceding years, t<he increase coming mainly from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the North American Continent. The success of tho recent cruise from Australia to New Zealand of the Strathaird would, ho was confident, ensure equal success for subsequent similar trips. Reports from Mr. L. J. Sehmitt, New Zealand Trado Commissioner in Australia, said tho Minister, showed that an increased appropriation for publicity work in the Commonwealth was already productive of excellent results. Every available method of spreading information about tho unique attractions which New Zealand had to offer visitors was being utilised to a greater extent. Mr. Hamilton stated that Mr. J. W. Collins, trade commissioner in Canada and the United States, had reported most optimistically as to tho future prospects for tourist travel following upon conversations he had recently had with leading tourist agents in Montreal, New York and in the large centres of California. These agencies predicted there would be a steady upward trend in tourist traffic to the South Pacific and that bookings shortly after tho Now Year would double those of last season. Mr. Collins had addressed educational authorities and teachers' congiesses and as a result more than one party of teachers had booked trips of up to two and a-half months in length. Tho present tourist season should prove to be tho busiest period the Dominion had experienced for some time, and stops would bo taken to consolidate the gains and to extend them over the future.