TOURIST TRAFFIC

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1931, Page 15

TOURIST TRAFFIC

VALUE TO NEW ZEALAND. MORE PUBLICITY NEEDED. The value of the tourist business is being more and more appreciated by New Zealanders. Among those who are strong advocates for the development of this national industry is Mr. Will Lawson, Sydney manager of the Mount Cook Tourist Company, who is at present in Wellington. In conversation with a Wellington Post reporter, Mr. Lawson said that in the present financial depression it was pleasing to note that steps were being taken to provide more publicity overseas in order to attract tourists to New Zealand. “The fact that Canadian and American shipping companies axe beginning to take an active interest in New Zealand shows that this country is being discovered by them in the tourists sense,” said Mr. Lawson. “In saying that I mean that our own efforts to advertise New Zealand are being supplemented by those of concerns overseas. “Both the New Zealand Government and the Union Steam Ship Company have always kept New Zealand before the travelling public of North America, and their displays of pictures and other attractions of New Zealand have been outstanding features in San Francisco, Vancouver, and New York. Now that these are being supplemented by the publicity of the C-P.R. the Matson Lines, there should be an increase of travel to New Zealand. “When I was in America some years ago, several travel agencies told me that when larger ships, and more detailed itineraries of travel to New Zealand were available they would be able to send more tourists here, as every week they had inquiries for new tours from people who had travelled over many routes. The same was the case in the Far East, where the travel agencies at such big shipping transhipment ports as Manila, Hong Kong, and Kobe were always keen for further information about the South Pacific. “New Zealand people do not realise the striking tourist value of the Southern Alps, where there are over 200 named peaks over 7000 feet high adn many others unnamed, and where could more wonderful thermal attractions he found than at Rotorua? Many visitors have impressed this upon New Zealanders, as well as the beauty and charm of our scenery. “The distance from the thickly populated parts of the world has been urged as a difficulty, but with larger ships and faster time-tables this is minimised. Another fact is that many people want a long sea voyage. This is instanced in the traffic via Panama Canal, which has increased in. later years. - , “The formation of a Travel Association, which is mooted, should help in confirming the Government’s policy of publicity, and by providing increased funds for this purpose in helping the Tourist Department. In such an association should be incorporated hotel'keepers, motor-car owners, resorts, shopkeepers, and all. trading interests. It is wrong to think that only a few trades benefit by the tourist trade. The money flows through all channels and increases the business of the country. Now that our primary industries are suffering from the depression, the tourist traffic is a business which should be encouraged.” Mr. Lawson mentioned the enterprise of the citizens of Houston, in Texas, who, in order to attract travellers to stop over in their city, built a huge hotel in which every modern comfort was found. The holders of shares in this concern included even shoeblacks, who get their share of the increased* trade. Mr. Lawson is returning to Sydney next week, and is confident that, in spite of the depression, there will be a considerable number of visitors from Australia during the coming New Zealand season.