RECORD OVERSEAS TOURIST TRAFFIC COMING TO N.Z.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18014, 26 November 1926, Page 7

RECORD OVERSEAS TOURIST TRAFFIC COMING TO N.Z.

GOOD SPORT LURES MANY AMERICANS. Tourists from overseas axe turning their attention more and more upon New Zealand and from indications a record overseas tourist traffic will be experienced this season.. This is the opinion of Mr L. J. Bayfield, district manager of the Ohristchurch branch of the Tourist Department, who returned recently after spending three months in the North Island. “With the increased advertising now carried on overseas by the Government, representation at overseas exhibitions and, most valuable of all. an increased number of satisfied tourists acting as walking advertisements for our Dominion.” Mr Bayfield said, “It is considered that the coming and ensuing seasons can be looked forward to with every confidence. Thus year 800 tourists alone will arrive on the luxuriously fitted out Cunard liners Corinthia and Franconia. The Gorinthia, unfortunately. can only allow a few days of her world cruise to be spent in New Zealand, but it is fairly certain that a percentage of these wealthy Americans who get even only a glimpse, as it were, of our fair Dominion will return at a later date to thoroughly explore the many scenic wonders of the country. The Franconia is spending a longer period in the Dominion, and her people should become first-class advertisements for the Dominion amongst their friends, even if they, do not return at a later date themselves. “Those who know the tourist business,” he continued, “say 99 out of every hundred tourists who visit the Dominion, return home well pleased, and with a return trip in view. These tourists give their impressions to their friends—impressions more valuable than an'- other class cf propaganda—and so the circle of New Zealand's admirers widens. “One of the first considerations with the tourist traffic is the hotel accommodation provided by the Dominion. It is felt in some quarters that much more should be done in this direction —it is certainly a harder job than most people imagine to provide’ accommodation in even our larger cities for a tourist who happens to be unfortunate enough to land during a racing carnival, or similar event, even though the cost of same be no consideration whatever. The question of accommodation is, of course, largely bound up in the licensing laws at present in force in the Dominion. The Tourist Department is slowly but surely improving the resorts under its control. Last year the main improvements effected Were the completion of the extensions to Lake House, VVaikaremoana. the lighting of Waitomo Caves by electricity, the completion of the excavations for the new hostel there, additions to the hotel at Lake Te Anau. and also Glade House at the head of the same lake. The accommodation, or lack of it., provided at Waitomo Caves, has been a very sore point in recent years, and this resort has grown by leaps and bounds in popularity. A grant has now been made for a new hostel and it is hoped it will be completed in time for the next tourist season.

“The publicity given our fishing attractions by Mr Zane Grey and others during the past season is expected to induce large numbers Of overseas sportsmen to come to the Dominion. The sport to be had at Russell, Tauranga and Mercury Bay is gradually bringing more visitors every year from the United States of America and Great Britain. Even the Americans who come here are quite p-epared to admit the sport ranks with the best to be obtained in any part of the world. The presence of the black marlin is bound to draw sportsmen to these shores in greater numbers than ever before. The famous trout fishing to be had in the Dominion must not be Overlooked when considering the list of attractions.

“As stated in the annual report of the Department by the general manager, Mr B. M. Wilson, it is impossible to estimate the indirect value of the tourist traffic to New Zealand, there being no tecord of what tourists spent outside their ordinary travelling expenses. It. is fairly safe to estimate that, each overseas tourist who visit# the Dominion leaves op *an average £IOO of new money in the- country, so that it will be readily fse&n that the value of the tourist traffic to the Dominion is considerable.”

Mr Bayfield had a most interesting trip from Auckland via Rotorua. Gisborne, Waikaremoana, Napier, etc,, to Christchurch. Gisborne, once a more Or less isolated town, dependent, soie.lv on steamship connection, is now well served by two motor services from the north daily, and three from the south daily. A passenger can now leave Wellington by the Napier express in the morning and arrive in Gisborne by motor the same evening. The trip from Opotiki to Gisborne is Well worth seeing, passing over three ranges and through dense bush. Many compare this road to the famous Duller Gorge and Franz Josef Glacier roads. Waikaremoana (the sea of rippling water) is a beautiful lake situated 31 miles from Wairoa The shores of the lake, which is 2000 ft above sea level, are Covered with heavy bush to the water’s edge. The Government, has provided an up-to-date hostel overlooking the lake, and this is the rendezvous of many holiday makers and fishermen, the lake being well-stocked with rain bow trout The roads on the East Coast of the North Island have been greatly improved during the last few years. A few years ago the GisborneNapier road was practically impassable in the winter, Whereas now it is metalled throughout, and within the next year it is expected to have the whole road tar sealed. Generally speaking the N'oeth Island

road? are not as good as those in the South, scarcity of metal being the main factor, particularly in the Rotorua and Bay ox Plenty districts.