N.Z. NEEDS BOOSTING

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18025, 28 February 1933, Page 9

N.Z. NEEDS BOOSTING

VISIT OF TOURIST OFFICER The Tourist Department offices in this country are a gdcbsejnd' to travellers, but New Zealand should be much better advertised in England. This is what Mr. W. L. Douglas, of the Shaw, Savill and Albion Company’s staff, told a Christchurch Sun reporter;. He i?,, touring New Zealand to gain , first-hand information pf its attractions for tourists, so that he can talk tourists who, come to book up itineraries with his company. Mr.’ Douglas, has been down to MtCook, and .will visit the Eranz Josef Glacier arid motor up the Coast road from Greymoiith to Westport, an(l then through the Buffer Gorge from Westport to Nelson'. Later he will visit Rotorua and Auckland. . ; J, , The Tourist Department, so fur as its offices .in this country wpip concerned, was extraordinarily efficient, and splendidly staffed, he said.. The traveller had only to go into orie of .these, offices, and ho could get every possible question answered in a few minutes. He thought, however, that the peculiar and invaluable tfiiivist .attractions of the country should he better advertised abroad. New Zealand and its beauty spots were scarcely known in England to the great body of people who were willing, to,, spend money on travel. He thought a national advertising scheme should be conducted through the High Commissioner’s Office. It was in the interests of the whole country to attract as many tourists as possible, particularly when it had attractions to offer, and the Government should fulfil its function in that way. His company had recently run an extensive advertising campaign to boost the round trip in the Akaroa,. and as a result had booked 50 round-trippers for the voyage. This showed what could be done by a proper campaign. Each of those tourists had landed and travelled in this country and spent money here, as well as being very pleased with the attractions of the country. He was confident that on the next trip the number of such travellers would be trebled,