MORE VISITORS COMING

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12507, 24 July 1926, Page 4

MORE VISITORS COMING

TWO TOURIST SHIPS FRANCONIA AND CARINTHIA ZANE GREY TO RETURN .The 1926-7 tourist season in New Zealand promises to eclipse all previous records according to arrangements which have already gone, well beyond tho Stage of merely pencilling, in. The Franconia, one of the largest ships in the world and a floating palace, is due at Auckland in February with a party of about 400 wealthy American tourists on a trip round' the world, and while in the Dominion will establish a new record by taking the vessel right through Milford Sounds under Mitre Peak. This will be the first occasion Upon which a big vessel of atty kind lias navigated tile Sounds, and the sight of the huge liner, with tlie histcriv peak in the background, will mark a unique occasion. The party leaves New York for llio de Janierd, Buenos Aires, Africa, Indio, Japan hud China, South Sea Islands, Now Zealand, Australia and back to New York.

It is estimated that this party alone will spend £20,000 in the Dominion. A scries of special trains will be chartered to take them to Wnitomo, Rotorua and Wellington, and they will rejoin the vessel itt Wellington to proceed to Milford Sounds. There has been some disappointment in the South Island because 110 visits to other ports were arranged, but this is due to tlie fact that the whole itinerary ivas prepared in New York. Th 6 Carintliia is to nrrivU ih New Zealand to tour both islands, and the course will be much more extensive than, when the vessel last came to the Dominion. It is estimated that as a result of the visit of these two ships alone between £40,000 and £50,000 will be spent, which will be far in excess of the hiilount spent in publicity last year, £15,000. It is hoped that the department will have at least double that nmount to devote to publicity work in the current year. Apart from these two large parlies tourists and sportsmen from America and Great • Britain arriving by every steamer, number more than the two special parties. ZANE GREY’S RETURN It is calculated that Mr Zane Grey’s last visit to New Zealand cost him £4OOO, and he intends returning in December in hi* three-masted schooner “The Fisherman,” leaving America in November. The expenses of this yacht while in New Zealand waters will be about £3OOO. The film which was made of Mr Grey’s visit to the Dominion is by far the largest single effort in the direction of publicity, and from a commercial standpoint and then as an advertising asset its value may modestly bo estimated at £75,000, while it is confidently anticipated that its cost to the Government will bo returned, not a hundred fold, but a thousand fold. In addition to his own yacht Mr Grey believes that it is the intention of Mr Vanderbilt, junr., the millionaire, to visit New Zealand with his yacht during the coming season, and 1 upwards of 200 sportsmen from the States are also expected.