FRIENDLY WELCOME

Hokitika Guardian, 12 October 1929, Page 3

FRIENDLY WELCOME

TO U Ills IS FROM ABROARD. IMPORTANCE OF COURTESY. GERMANY’S BID FOR VISITORS Observations on the importance of uevCiopuig tlie tourist traffic to New Zealand and Australia were made today oy Mr S. W. M. stilling, manager ji the Jenoian Caves, under the New oonfli Wales Government Tourist Bureau. Mr Stilling has ©een.oo a world tour, and iie arrived in' Auckland by uie Niagara. During me last two years the flow of tourists to mese countries lias considerauly increased lie said,. aiicF’tiie Governments of America and Europe seemed to be impressed with the importance 01 fostering tourist business generally, in Canada this .ranked third among me Government’s activities. In Honolulu also it ranked third.

The visitor found in Germany that the peoJile. were most anxious to encourage good feeling towards Englishmen, Australians and New Zealanders, and the courtesy of everyone there was very marked. If an Englishman addressed ail inquiry .to any German he could be sure that ever effort would be made to satisfy him. So far as -the interests of tourists were concerned, Germany were catering successfully, and the places of interest were well patronised. One 01 the most delightful scenic and health resorts in Germany was Heidelberg, where Mr Stilling was much impressed by the number of families that bathed on the riverside during the summer season. He was fortunate 111 being present at the conclusion of one of the bouts by the university students, who fought with one anther for tlie honour of being marked on the face by a sword blade, which denoted that tlie marked man was university bred.

Mr Stilling found that the efficiency of the leading Australian hotels com;pared very favourably with that of the most- up-to-date American hotels. Naturally the Australian buildings were not as large nor did the present traffic warrant the provision of huge hotels like, those in America and Canada. In Canada ninety-five per cent, of the guests, at hotels were Americans, so that really Canadian hotels depended pn America for their existance. There was a tendency on the part of Americans to visit Australia and New Zealand, but they insisted that their travel and hotels should he up to date and that they had the same conveniences as they were used to in their own country. He had little or no doubt that this was recognised in Australia find New Zealand.

Mr Stilling said that tourists from other parts of the world should not be subjected to any criticism or rudeness regarding the manner in which they dressed, as each country had its own ideas of dress, and did not appreciate comment on it. He was rather disappointed to find that the wharf labourers employed in the unloading of the Niagara ungeared not to have seen an opera hat before, judging from the remarks they made when at least; one passenger of the shin was landing in evening dress to attend a function ashore.