TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10139, 27 August 1904, Page 4

TOURIST DEPARTMENT.

ANNUAL REPORT

(From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the annual' report of the- Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, winch was laid before the House to-day, Sir Joseph Ward says the past year showed a. considerable increase m tourist traffic over that of any previous year. The greatest increase of visitors recorded was lo Rotorua. Notwithstanding the fact that the results have been so satisfactory, I am of opinion that much better would have eventuated liad it not been for the unfortunate smallpox scare at Christchurch m February last. It is safe to say, remarks Sir Joseph, that hundreds of visitors were lost to the colony on that account, more especially from Australia. An attempt has this year been made to obtain data on which to base an estimate of the value of the over-sea tourist traffic to the oolony. The- department has recorded the names of 5233 visitors coming from the. following countries : Australia 2726, United Kingdom 1795, United States and Canada 417, European Continent 102, Africa 64, India- 61, other countries 68, total 5233. These, figures cannot be regarded as complete, as many persons visit the colony who do not come, into direct contact- with the department. It is therefore certain that the total number of visitors has not been recorded. However, taking these figures as a basis, and estimating the expenditure of each person at £50, a low estimate, the value of the tourist traffic to the colony is shown to be considerably over a "quarter of a million sterling per annum. Thus, I think, will be regarded as a very satisfactory result for the Government outlay m encouraging the traffic. The time is approaching when bureaux for the colony should be established m Sydney and Melbourne, and later on m some of the greater cities on popular routes of travel.