TOURIST TRAFFIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22393, 14 April 1936, Page 8

TOURIST TRAFFIC

DOMINION'S CHANCE NATIONAL ORGANISATION MR. H. H. STERLING'S VIEWS, [by telegeaph—own correspondent] WELLINGTON, Monday^ "A great opportunity for the development of its tourist traffic is open to New Zealand. Tourist countries in Europe are experiencing very difficult times through a number of causes, and tho people of Great Britain and America are disposed to be interested in new countries. The rising tide of prosperity assists to make this an opportune time for the Dominion to develop its tourist business." These are the opinions of Mr. H. H. Sterling, chairman of the Railways Board before its recent abolition, who returned to Wellington to-day after a long holiday abroad. Lessons From Overseas Mr. Sterling said his observations confirmed the views he had expressed before leaving New Zealand, when he advocated the organising of the tourist industry in New Zealand on a national basis. This was being done in other countries. In Great Britain a national organisation had been constituted; the Government of Canada had also become very active, and bad set up a department to deal with the matter; and South Africa pushed its tourist business very energetically in Great Britain. In Australia the National Travel Association was doing good work for the Commonwealth, and also, it might be remarked, for New Zealand, and the Federal Government was interesting itself in furthering the business.

Co-operation With Australia There should be the closest co-opera-tion between Australia and New Zealand in tourist matters, said Mr. Sterling. He was glad to see that some progress had been made along this line. Australia was New Zealand's nearest market for tourist business, and both countries had much to gain and nothing to lose by very close collaboration in countries overseas. After his tour, which had taken in the North American Continent, Great Britain, and most of the European countries, Mr. Sterling was very definite in his opinion that New Zealand was preeminent in its natural attractions for the tourist.