TOURIST TRADE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 107, 18 February 1950, Page 6

TOURIST TRADE

NEW ZEALAND ADVANCEMENT CONFERENCE DATE FIXED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day, ' It was announced yesterday by the Minister in Charge of Tourist and Health Resorts (Mr F. W. Doidge) that his previous announcement regarding a proposed tourist conference had met with a most encouraging response. Arrangements had now been completed for the meeting to take place at Chateau Tongariro from March 4 to G.

■ Representatives of shipping interests, airways, rail and road transport, overseas travel agencies, hotel and accommodation interests, and .hotel employees, have accepted the Minister’s invitation to attend.

“The primary objective of the conference,” said the Minister," is expansion and development of the tourist trade of New Zealand, with particular reference to dollar-earning sources. The conference will consider the significance of our national tourist industry in every phase. We shall examine transportation services, to and within "New Zealand, and the means of improving the standard of accommodation and service of hotels which cater for tourists. Travel promotion methods and such activities will be studied, and frank and full discussions will be invited on all aspects of the tourist trade. “I am bound to add, however, that my main concern, at the moment, is to devise ways and means of usipg our tourist attractions to earn dollars,” added Mr Doidge. “I believe this is the time when we can attract thousands of American visitors if we go the right way about it. There are. many organisations throughout New Zealand, which, for some years, have had sustained interest in various phases of tourist industry, and their advice and co-operation has always been most helpful. JJowever, their efforts, in their particular fields, cannot be fully effective until our principle problem—that of increasing our capacity to handte a greater number of tourists—has been solved.” It is expected that between 40 and 50 delegates .will attend..the conference, over which Mr Doidge, as Minister, will preside.