Need For Improvement Of Tourist Resorts

Chronicle (Levin), 9 October 1948, Page 5

Need For Improvement Of Tourist Resorts

WELLINGTON, Oct. 8. In the House of Representatives today, Mr. T. L. Alacdonald (Nat., Wallace), discussing the vote for the Department of Tourist and Health Resorts, said that the tourist trade eould not be built up along the lines that what was good enough for ourselves should be good enough for overseas visitors. it should be realised that many tourists came from countries where there were higher standards than ours. If we desired to uttraet tourists we should provide the requirements they were used to in the wav of accommodation and liotels. He suggested that the resumption of tourist trips -by sea to Milford and other sounds would relieve the accommodation congestion experienced .last year. Mr. E. R. Neale (Nat., Nelson) urged the development of Maruia Nprings where, he said, some miraeulous cures had taken plaee. He said that the curative properties of the mineral waters at this resort differed from tkose at Haamer Bprings. Mr. Parry said he was eager to see more modern tourist accomjnodation provided, but most of- the refi&urees of the buiiding industry were still devoted to the housing programme. "If I go to Cabinet asking for a £100,000 tourist hotel in Queenstown and the Minister of Housing says he still has not enough men and materials to provide homes for the people, I know wlio will win, ' ' said Air. Parry. Mr. Parry said that wliatever was possible in the meantime had been done to improve the aeeominodation at Milford Bound, the Chateau and eisewhere. Were conditions normal nothing would please him better than to go ahead witli the programme which had been prepared for more modern tourist resorts in various' parts of the Doniinion. Provision for sea trips to Milford would l.ie made as soon as possible. Mr. Parry said he lioped that a scientific expedition which is being planned to visit Fiordland at the end of this year or early in 1949 will lead to the further opening up of this little known territorv for recreational purposes. Mr. Parry said that in the past hve or six vears despite the efirtailment of overseas tourist traffic during the war vears and after there had been a remarkable expansion in the department 's turnover, indicating Ihe success of the policv of encouraging New Zealanders to travel freelv in their own country. Mr. Parry said that six colour films were being made for the Tourist Department and should encourage groups of New Zealanders to lind out for themselves what various industrial activities were like. He suggested, particularly, that farmers and others might, with advuntage, visit the coal mines to see the niining industry at first liand.