HOLIDAYS ABROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21999, 4 January 1935, Page 10

HOLIDAYS ABROAD

PASSENGERS TO ENGLAND MORE STEAMER BOOKINGS Advance steamer bookings indicate that there is likely to be a considerable exodus of New Zcalanders on overseas holiday visits during; the next few months, February, March and April are the popular months with travellers, as departure at that time enables people from the Dominion to roach England in the spring or early summer. Passenger bookings on all routes for vessels sailing during these months is already considerably in excess of the figures for last year. The passenger representative of a large shipping firm said yesterday that bookings were being made almost exclusively by people travelling on either business or pleasure, together with a large number who combined both objectives. A few years ago most of the homeward passenger traffic was confined to assisted immigrants who had decided to return to England. Tho general experience of shipping companies is that tho returning immigrant traffic has now practically ceased. In any case, it was largely confined to vessels on the Panama route and this year tho direct bookings to England are almost equalled by the number of intending travellers via Canada and the United or through Australia and by tho Suez Canal route. All companies report increased bookings and a decided upward trend in tho passenger traffic generally- . .. Single class tourist liners are proving increasingly popular with New Zcalanders travelling to England on holiday. One line has two such vessels scheduled to sail via Panama in February and at the end of March and already passenger accommodation on both ships is practically fully booked. Similar liners are encaged on tho Suez route, and are also attracting a large number of New Zealand passengers. However, the improvement in the transpacific bookings to England is generally regarded as one of tlio most promising features.