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Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1929, Page 4

Tiikrk is often the remark that the scenic attractions of Westland do not receive the publicity they should so lar as touriidg visitors are concerned. The upshot is that many oversea people land at either Auckland or the Bluff, and do the East Coast without any particular knowledge of the West Coast. This is a long standing complaint. and despite the reference of complaints to headquarters, there appears to he still grounds for raising a further protest:. The rccentlv established hostel adjacent to Fox Glacier appears to Ik; very littfc known. A visitor who ‘‘did” South Westland last week, only learned by accident of the enterprise shown by the settlers at Hclieka. and he felt fortunate in his knowledge, for he enjoyed the trip and hospitality extended, regarding tin* trip as the finest within his knowledge in New Zealand. The burden of the visitors’ complaint was that not onlv were visitors not advised in advance by the outside’ tourist agents of the wonderful trip to the Fox. hut even on the feast the jaunt appeared to lie little spoken

of, and many visitors even to Waiho (forge were not aware of what remained beyond. Many of them missed the trip, while others were surprised to (ind il by accident and not design. Of course the Kox resort is only recently established, and it has been handicapped by the loss of the Waikukupa oridge this season. But that is not any acceptable, reason why its fame should not he extolled at the tourist bureaux, ami visitors at least made acquainted by the existence of so splendid an attraction. We reprinted lately the impressions of a recent visitor to the K.x, published in the Otago Daily Times, and it was pleasing to have so handsome a coidirnitition of the local regard for the special and peculiar ooauty of the-Fox trip. It is to l>e hoped that story will spread further afield, indeed the one way of overcoming the present difficulty is more publicity. Greater attention should lx' turned to the matter locally in regard to the advertising of all our resorts, il is not sufficient to issue a booklet once in a decade, and rest content. Publicity to he amply effective, needs constant reiteration. The great advertisers of tile world proved that even if tlic'y want to sell only pills or painkiller. Westland has some wonderful scenic glory to sell all the year round, and as there are travellers on the move all through the year, it is essential to keep on advertising. The most possible should he done in that direction locally, while the Government put of its bounty should be asked also to set apart a material quota for Westland advertising, and by co-ordinated action, avoiding over-capping, carry on through the year such a useful scheme of advertising that the popular seasons of the year will find all resorts patronised ns they deserve, to the fullest extent possible.