TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 November 1934, Page 6

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

NEED FOR CONCERTED POLICY. READERS’ OPINIONS INVITED. Attention has frequently been drawn to Taranaki’s position as a tourist backwater, and the fact, that the province sharp..; very little in the attention bestowed on New Zealand by overseas tourists. The fact has also been mentioned that the Government Tourist Department rarely includes Taranaki in its organised itineraries, presumably on the ground that it does not consider the province has sufficient attractions to offcr. Most residents of the province feel, no doubt, that-this is not the case, and that a district containing such scenic features as Mt. Egmont, Pukekura Park, Tangarakau Gorge, its many places of historic significance, and its varied and beautiful countryside is worthy of more attention. Many suggestions have been offered with a view to remedying the position, but lack of unanimity and any responsible body for carrying suggestions into effect has resulted in little being done. Tn view of the importance of the matter the Daily News invites suggestions from its readers for the organisation and development of Taranaki as a scenic resort for tourists. It will be appreciated that such suggestions, if they are to be of any value, must deal with the problem from a provincial rather than a parochial point of view. It is apparent that if Taranaki is to be included in tourist itineraries it must offer something unusual that will be a definite “draw” to tourists. The development of Mount Egmont on particular lines, for instance, offers perhaps the greatest possibilities; the linking up of various historic and scenic points by a defined itinerary is another suggestion. If anything is to be done it rests with the people themselves, who must organise to carry out a definite and provincial scheme. For that reason the opinions of the public are sought. Such opinions should be addressed to the editor, and will be published in the correspondence columns of the Daily News.