TOURISTS IN WINTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22896, 26 November 1937, Page 14

TOURISTS IN WINTER

ADVANTAGES TO DOMINION FARE REDUCTIONS SUGGESTED A scheme for fostering winter tourist traffic to New Zealand is outlined in an articles by Mr. E. Groom in the current issue of the Commerce Journal. During the slack season after Easter until November in each year, Mr. Groom points out, the number of tourists travelling in New Zealand is negligible. If the various interests in the tourist industry could come to some co-operative arrangement to attract tourists this problem might be solved.

" The crux of the problem is the matter of intercolonial steamer fares," Mr. Groom continues. " If the intercolonial shipping companies will agree to reduce fares for bona fide tourists travelling during the off there is no doubt that the hotel interests in New Zealand, in addition to the Railway Department and service car proprietors, would co-operate in offering special reduced fares to make tours attractive." A decrease of £lO in the present return steamer fare to Australia is suggested. If such a scheme were instituted there would be a great benefit to the industry, Mr. Groom maintains. It would mean that a certain number of tourists who at present visit the Dominion during the summer months would concentrate on the period of reduced fares, and congestion at main resorts would be relieved. Summer -.raffic had reached a stage where acjommodation at main resorts and in iome cities was difficult to obtain, the position being particularly acute in Auckland. Any relief the winter months could offer was therefore desirable.