OVERSEAS VISITORS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2679, 27 January 1916, Page 3

OVERSEAS VISITORS

BUSINESS MEN PREDOMINATE. number of visitors to New Zealand from overseas during this summer shows a decided increase when compared with the tourist traffic last year. A noticeable feature is, however, that the bulk of the travellers is on business bent, though some of them have combined business - with pleasure. Tho Tourist Inquiry Bureau in Grey Street and tho Railway Tourist Office in Willis Street- have had a - busy time, directing the callers upon their ways, and .providing them with the necessary tickets ana information, concerning not only the.scenic places in the Dominion, but of the business potentialities of the various towns and districts. The Railway Tourist Office lias proved a boon to all travellers by rail, and comparisons 'made between any periods of.the present season and corresponding seasons in the previous year show an increase of over 50 per cent, in the amounts paid for tickets. A Korean merchant, two Japanese, a Frenchman from Honolulu, and numbers of American and British business men have made use of the bureau, as well is many Australian travellers. Among ■ those who have signed _ the visitors' book at the Tourist Inquiry Office were" people from Australia, America, South Africa, England, Holland,: Egypt, and Japan, and the comments made by many of them are interesting. "Charmed with the place"—"Shall certainly return!'—"New Zealand is everything it claims to be" —"Wish we liad your hills and your rain in; Australia"—these are a few of them. It may be mentioned that of the lines of trade in which great competition is being manifested By travellers from overseas, that of supplying bottles and other goods used by brewers and oordial manufacturers has brought many to these shores in search of markets. The- American visitors in particular are said to-show tremendous fioenncss after business. '