DOMINION TOURISTS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 9

DOMINION TOURISTS

. ’ ' ''. ■-. '■■ '' .J 'v. DEPARTURES BELOW AVERAGE. MANY VISITORS ARRIVING. , / ~r~. » - ’ ■ Booking by New Zealanders contemplating trips abroad are still below the average. By this time of the year, accommodation on passenger steamers leaving the Dominion in February, March and April is generally fully taxed, but the offices of shipping companies in the Dominion have not yet had to deal with any rush of intending passengers. The companies ’ are hopeful that the position will improve materially after Christmas. They say that late booking has been noticeable in redent months and are of the opinion that the March steamers, at any rate, will be well patronised.

The surcharge’ of 5 per cent, op passenger fares recently decided upon by the Australian-New Zealand Shipping Conference is not expected to have any very serious effect on passenger traffic. It will apply principally to passages via suez and Panama 1 and not to people travelling to England' through Canada and the United States. The average single fare to England is about £lOO and it is not expected that an additional £5 £b this sum wll make much difference’ to intending travellers. Tho number of passengers arriving in New Zealand, either direct or through Vancouver and San Francisco, is well up to the average. The Rangitiki, which is due at Auckland from Southampton on December 23, will bring the first large quota of summer visitors and their arrival will practically mark the opening of the tourist season. Bookings for other passenger liners are also reported to bo good. . “Although general conditions may not. be good, this is undoubtedly the time to make efforts for the extension of trade,” said an English business man who arrived in New Zealand a short while ago, and is at present n Auckland. “Personally, I felt in need of a holiday and decided to kill two birds wj£h one stone by corning to New Zealand. I have no doubt that many others will do the samq.”