THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1935. THE TOURIST INDUSTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22504, 23 February 1935, Page 12

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1935. THE TOURIST INDUSTRY

In his reference to the tourist industryin the course of an address at the annual meeting of the Newspaper Proprietors’ 'Association, Mr H. H. Sterling, chairman of the Railways Board, re-emphasised certain considerations which represent a necessary trend of policy, if (New Zealand is to derive increased benefit from the tourist traffic, and to become a resort for tourists to ail extent in keeping with the attractions which the country has to offer. It is a hopeful sign that the railway authority is aligning itself with other interests which are alive to the desirability of placing the organisation of the tourist business on an improved bafds. And if the people of the Dominion, as a whole, are not directly interested in the matter they are interested indirectly, for they cannot but recognise that, for its economic rehabilitation, the Dominion has need of all the benefit which it can derive from such a source as the tourist industry. The results of the efforts that have been itnade thus far for the development of this industry have been disappointing in respect of the dimensions which i the traffic has attained, as well as in /some other aspects. Mr Sterling is i among those who believe that new methods of procedure are required fori the organisation of the traffic on a; comprehensive commercial basis. Seven months ago a conference, imposing in its representative aspect and presided over by the Ministerial head of ;the Tourist Department, adopted a resolution affirming that coordination of effort Avas necessary and should be secured by the introduction of a netv system of control. The Government’s acquiescence is necessary for the furtherance of the plan in vieAV, but so farj there has been no word of any decision on its part relative to the matter, 'The objectives must be the securing of more visitors and the provision of dmproved arrangements for their touring of the Dominion. Halfhearted measures for the exploitation of the possibilities of the traffic will bring littlo satisfaction. New Zealand, as visitor [after visitor has testified, is most richly endowed with attractions such as tourists appreciate, and there should be scope for a development of the tourisf. traffic considerably beyond its present dimensions. It is true that the Dominion occupies a relatively isolated position, but every year is bringing ft into closer touch with other countries, and so far as the handicap of distance exists, it should provide an

impulse for special efforts to counteract it. The ocean cruises arranged by shipping lines have enabled many people to see some of the interesting features of this country, even if these have been mainly limited to the North Island. Under a tourist organisation of a kind such as Mr Sterling apparently envisages, the attractions of the South Island, unquestionably outstanding in their character, should receive recognition and attention in a degree not yet accorded them. An organisation which aimed at being really effective and businesslike could not overlook the importance of making representations to the shipping companies such as would lead to the arrangement of their cruises in such a way that their tourist passengers would be enabled to visit parts of New Zealand which thus far they have not been given the opportunity of seeing. In the variety and nature of its attractions the South Island is beyond doubt the seat of the Dominion’s principal scenic assets. The North Island has its unique features, such as Rotorua and Waitomo. But the tourist who has contemplated these and little else has gathered no real impression of the country. The tendency of visitors who have not much time at their disposal to spend the whole of it in the North Island has been explained in various ways, not without plausibility. ' One ground of explanation is that the facilities that would enable the tourist to- visit the South Island are not what they might be. If the tourist traffic is to be adequately developed the fact must be recognised that it should be much more systematically built up on the solid, unsui’passed attractions of the South Island.