Attracting U.K. Tourists

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31118, 22 July 1966, Page 1

Attracting U.K. Tourists

There was an immense amount of good wiD towards New Zealand in Britain, but there was also a great deal of ignorance about the country, Mr A. M. West-Watson, of Christchurch, told the South Island Publicity Association yesterday.

He said there was a common wish among British people to visit New Zealand, but time and money were the prohibiting factors. Mr West-Watson’s remarks were contained in a report from London on his findings after interviewing travel agents there about getting more British people to visit New Zealand. A

Mr West-Watson said the time factor could be overcome as annual holidays increased and the flights to New Zealand shortened.

If the same reductions could be made in the United King-dom-New Zealand fares as had been made in the United States-United Kingdom fares, the money factor could become less important also. Mr West-Watson said that if an all-inclusive fare of £3OO for a South Pacific tour could be offered, there would be a meteoric rise in the number of visitors to New Zealand from Britain. It was clear that holidaymakers from Britain sought a change of environment, sunshine, the exotic and exciting, value for money, and an experience that would make the visitor the envy of his friends. “We must build up the

image of the South Pacific as a modern equivalent of the grand tour, the trip of a lifetime, the tour by which all others are an anti-climax,” he said.

Mr West-Watson said the best way to get travel agents interested in New Zealand was to send them to New Zealand. Twelve could be sent for £l5OO and they would return as very influential salesmen for New Zealand. Mr West-Watson said it was useless sending pamphlets gnd brochures. They came from all parts of the world to London and most of them ended in the waste paper basket. The association decided to send copies of Mr WestWatson’s report to the Tourist Hotel Corporation and the Tourist and Publicity Department