TOURIST TRAFFIC

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18542, 12 April 1930, Page 14 (Supplement)

TOURIST TRAFFIC

DISCUSSED AT THE ROTARY CONFERENCE. “The Chateau has certainly taken on the acknowledged Rotarian characteristics of good fellowship and jollity,” says a North Island paper describing the recent conference of Rotary Clubs at National Park. While the Rotarians thus made use of New Zealand’s latest and most completely equipped tourist hotel, they were naturally sympathetically disposed to the great industry of which it is a part. Therefore, when Mr R. L. Wigley, the Chairman of Directors of the Tongariro Park Tourist Company, spoke half humorously to the assembly on the tourist traffic, his words were received with great interest and attention. “When other countries make huge sums out of the tourists,” said Mr Wigley, "why shouldn’t we? No country in the world has our natural tourist advantages, beauty spots and variety of sports. They are lying here at no cost to us, waiting to be used, our natural heritage. We are idling on the job. Our own tourist traffic is not increasing, for want of enthusiasm and cooperation between the Government and private enterprises. New Zealand could afford to spend a sum of not less than £IOO,OOO per annum, in bringing tourists to New Zealand, and it would pay handsomely.

“Take unemployment,” the speaker j continued. “The revenue from the j tourist could quite easily be made so ; great that industries would develop; i railways would have more to do; and ! the Post and Telegraph would bring in ! more revenue. We could employ more I labour and increase our natural productiveness. Our Mr Sterling, with an increase of tourist traffic could make the railways pay. To me, gentlemen, the tourist traffic is the main solution of the unemployment problem. Ycu think I am talking to you now for my Company’s own interests, but this is not altogether so. I am talking to you about a National asset that concerns us all. I will put it to you in this way. If our activities bring in a man from overseas, he spends say £IOO in New Zealand. Of this £IOO, £3O or £4O would be spent with our own interests, the balance of £6O would be spread over New Zealand. Our shareholders would be likely to handle 15 per cent, of the £4O, so that the whole of the £IOO less that 15 per cent, is spread over New Zealand, and we are doing far and away more good for New Zealand than for our own company.

“The Chateau!—The building you are now in is a far better asset to New Zealand than it is to our Compans 7 , and what we want is a few more hotels like The Chateau. We are doing a National work and the more you can help us the more you help New Zealand. Why do not you men who have the money get out, and financially help the tourist business. Could you put your money to a better use, or a better dividend investment your yourself? I

have always found it hard enough to make money, but from what I can see of the man with money, he is so frightened of losing it that it causes him more worry and trouble in investing it than I have in making it. My advice to this man is to invest in the tourist traffic and get his troubles over. “At the present time,” said Mr Wigley, “we are trying to organise a Conference in Honolulu of Pacific Tourist interest. This to include delegates j from New Zealand, Australia, Japan,