Canterbury groups plan merger

Press, 30 June 1983, Page 8

Canterbury groups plan merger

The Canterbury branch of the National Travel Association is likely to merge with the Canterbury Promotion Council. The executive officer of the council, Mr Bruce Dunstan, said yesterday that the local branch of the N.T.A. had decided at its annual meeting that it should wind up and have its function taken over by the council. This move had the approval of the executive of the council, Mr Dunstan said, and the Canterbury and West Coast branch of the N.T.A. The final move will be made at a special meeting of the branch, which will be called next month to effect the dissolution. Mr Dunstan referred to the move as a rationalisation, making one fewer organisation in Canterbury. Until now the two groups had been competing for financial assistance from the same companies, he said. A precedent for the move existed in Wanganui, where the role of the branch of the N.T.A. there had been taken over by Hospitality Wanganui Inc., Mr Dunstan said.

“It combines a strong re-

gional organisation with assured funding and paid staff with a national organisation that is accepted as the tourist industry voice for New Zealand,” he said. Display

At last evening’s annual meeting of the Promotion Council a new portable Canterbury display was launched. (Picture, page 3.) The six-panel red-and-black display features 60 photographs of Canterbury scenes and will be used to promote Canterbury. The display will be at the Canterbury Information Centre for the next few days before being sent to Levin to promote Canterbury in a Travel New Zealand show. The display would be used where it would best promote the province, said Mr Dunstan. President Mr V. R. Claude was elected as president of the council and Mr D. G. Watson as vice-president. Mr Claude had been vice-presi-dent and head of the regional promotion commit-