TOURIST TRAFFIC

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 14

TOURIST TRAFFIC

PEOPLE GOING ABROAD HEAVY BOOKINGS REPORTED Although the tourist season has not officially begun, shipping companies and tourist agencies in Auckland are already handling passenger bookings for pcoplo intending to travel overseas next year. Thero is a steady demand for berths, and vessels leaving New Zealand l in tho first threo months of 193S are filling rapidly so that oven now it is reported to be difficult to got superior accommodation. Tho manager of an international tourist agency stated yesterday, that passenger bookings for tho coming tourist season were very good, particularly for February, March and April. The Suez; route was popular with tlioso intending to travel to Great Britain, wliilo good accommodation on vessels going via the Panama Canal was already bespoken. As far as tourist traffic to New Zealand was concerned the prospects wero |that the season would bo an excellent olio,, added the manager. This year a number of inquiries aboirt, tho Dominion had been received from India, and several from South Africans—the visit of tho Springboks apparently having brought New Zealand to their notice. "There is a steady demand for berths on our passenger ships leaving here in January, February and March, and thc.y ni'6 filling rapidly," said tho passenger, manager of ono shipping company, "The majority of the prospective passengers are going to Great Britain, but quite a number intend to travel'to the' East?'. I Many people prefer to travel to Great Britain .via the United States, and tho representative of another shipping company stated that'there were already heavy bookings on this routo for February,' March, and April particularly. Indications were that the traffic in the reverse direction would bo better than ever. Tho bookings from September to November would bo exceptionally heavy as thoro wero still many people returning who had stayed in England after tho Coronation, while tho unrest 1 in Europe and the Hast .Would probably combine to send far inore American tourists toward this part of tho world when the season opened.