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1944 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS AND PUBLICITY (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

The Hon. the Minister in Charge of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity to His Excellency the Governor-General Wellington, 28th July, 1944. I have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity for the year ended 31st March, 1944. W. E. Parry, Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity. His Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL MANAGER OF TIIE DEPARTMENT OF TOURIST AND HEALTH RESORTS AND PUBLICITY Sir,— Wellington, 21st July, 1944. I have the honour to submit the following report on the organization and work of the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, with which is now incorporated the Publicity Department, for the year ended) 31st March, 1944. I have, &c., L. J. Schmitt, General Manager. The Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Tourist and Health Resorts and Publicity.

ANNUAL REPORT

Despite the adverse conditions created by the war, travel within the Dominion, as recorded by the Department's booking-offices, was very brisk; in fact, the sales turnover forthe year exceeded the pre-war year by £159,690. This increase can be considered very satisfactory, and as a very large proportion of the Department's trained personnel are serving with the Armed Forces, the staff at present employed were at times hard pressed to cope with the business offering, but on the whole were able to deal efficiently with all requests made by the travelling public. Generally speaking, reports from the various tourist resorts throughout the country indicate increased business, but in many cases hotels and guest houses could not cope with the total business offering, and were unable to book accommodation to full capacity owing to the difficulty in securing staff. The work entailed in arranging tours by the staff of the departmental bureaux was made somewhat difficult owing to the trouble experienced in securing hotel accommodation for travellers at certain places, also owing to sudden alterations in the time-tables of transport services, and this was so particularly in the case of visiting servicemen, who were frequently given leave at short notice, necessitating hurried arrangement of trips. In a few instances, preliminary arrangements were made for organized party and group-travel tours, but in each case the project had to be abandoned owing to restrictions on travel, either by rail or other forms of transport. A noticeable feature, and an interesting one so far as post-war travel is concerned, was the apparent popularity of these types of tours, as in each instance where an effort was made to promote such tours the demand always exceeded the facilities available. Continued service was rendered to all branches of the Armed Forces in making travel arrangements, and any assistance given in this direction was much appreciated by the men concerned. During a period of the year the staff of the bureaux did good work in the film publicity field, programmes of educational, war propaganda, and scenic films being shown regularly to many different types of audiences. There was very little movement in travel from, overseas, but inquiries from residents of other countries concerning the scenic attractions of New Zealand are gradually increasing as the war situation improves. Whereas the war has practically brought about a cessation of travel from other countries, there is no doubt that the great advance made in