TARANAKI AND TOURISTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1934, Page 4

TARANAKI AND TOURISTS.

The arrival in New Zealand of an Australian party of farmers and the commencement by them of a tour of the Dominion which does not include Taranaki is a reminder that the public bodies of Taranaki must continue in a concerted and unabated effort to have the present unsatisfactory position remedied. With the object of confirming the fact that Taranaki is practically a backwater as far as tourist traffic is concerned a Daily News representative recently made a tour of the North Island by motor, calling at such places as the Chateau Tonga riro and Wairakei, and chatting with the tourists he met. The tour was commenced on the Saturday of a fine weekend, when one would expect holiday travellers to be making the most of the opportunity. Between New Plymouth and Taumarunui only five cars were met on the road, and none of them seemed to contain overseas tourists. Between Taumarunui and the Chateau scores of cars were on the road, and the same conditions prevailed between the Chateau and Wairakei, and between Wairakei and Rotorua. At the Chateau between 100 and 150 guests had booked in, and at Wairakei the bookings had averaged over 100 since Christmas. Most of the tourists were from overseas, about 60 per cent, of them being Australians, and nearly all were touring to schedules recommended by the tourist agencies. Not one traveller spoken to intended visiting Taranaki, about which very little was known. It is pleasing to see that both the Hawera and Stratford Chambers of Commerce have taken the matter up, and are bringing the position before the Minister concerned. The pressure should not be relaxed until definite results are obtained. Conversation with travellers from overseas makes it apparent that if Taranaki is to be a “draw card specific objectives, such as the resorts on Mount Egmont, Pukekura Park and the Tangarakau Gorge, must be brought before their .notice before the tour is commenced. This is a point on which representatives of the Taranaki organisations concerned might well get together and endeavour to evolve an itinerary, or alternative itineraries, that could suitably be included in an overseas visitor’s general tour of the Dominion. Without something definite such as this to put before the Minister and the Tourist Department it is possible that little headway will be made.