HOLIDAY AMENITIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25426, 6 January 1944, Page 4

HOLIDAY AMENITIES

Sir, —The letter under the above heading in your issue of January 4 deserves a reply because of its constructive nature, I have been interested in the welfare of visitors and tourists for the past 30 years and have spent a fortune in 'providing certain necessary facilities. Furthermore, I went to America and studied there the requirements of tourists, so that I might be considered qualified to make a brief comment on this important question. It is not generally known that holiday pay is double ordinary rates and holiday trade is a gamble; about half the charges for meals service is absorbed by labour. The necessity of passing on a portion of these additional costs is obvious, but generally resented. As already publicly announced, the reason for closing down during the Christmas holidays was the urgent need of rest owing to staff shortages. As to the importance of the tourist traffic, it will be remembered by some that Lord Bledisloe on his last visit to Dunedin made a solemn forecast to many of our leading citizens to the effect that England might not be able indefinitely to absorb our surplus produce, and that we might find ourselves in need of other sources of revenue. Lord Bledisloe said he knew of only one other certain source of revenue left to us which, if developed, would equal in value cur primary products—namely, the tourist traffic. So far practically nothing had been done about it. This is a matter which should not altogether be left to Wellington to organise, for one might receive very little thanks for drawing attention to the fact that certain legislation would be harmful to the interests of tourists. I have been assured by many in authority in New York that hundreds of thousands of Americans are ready to come and spend money lavishly when they are assured of value for money for the class of service they are accustomed to. In any case there are so many interesting countries, much nearer at hand where they are certain of being well catered for. One gains the impression that they are more interested in good plumbing than in liquor, and well-prepared meals “ with a smile ” than in scenery. Certainly they want to see scenery; but they will not be told when they may eat and when not. It is apparent that nothing but adversity will cause us to act on the advice of one so qualified to give it as Lord Bledisloe. If England, even under existing stress, finds it expedient to prepare to reap the benefits of tourist traffic immediately after the war, surely it is time for us to do likewise. —I am, etc., Dunedin, January 5. Philip Barling.