COMING TOURIST SEASON

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1930, Page 8

COMING TOURIST SEASON

PUBLICITY ABROAD

ACTIVITY DISPLAYED BY DEPARTMENT. WELLINGTON, October i. The tourist season now approaching was referred to to-day by the Minister in Charge of the Department (the Hon P. A. de la Perrelle). The Minister expressed the opinion that never before has such a comprehensive and attractive scheme been undertaken to attract overseas visitors. The expenditure of all Departments had been ciu down, but there would not be any slackening in the work of the activities of the Publicity Department. “National publicity cannot properly be confined to any one avenue,” said Mr de la Perrelle, “and there has always been a tendency on the part of the New Zealand public to assume that film production and distribution constitute the main work of this branch of the Department’s functions. Ovei several years past many very fine scenic films have been produced ant, widely distributed, and the circulation of these “silent” pictures through the Dominion, no doubt, brought that phase of the publicity work undei special notice. The films are still being shown extensively overseas, and particularly in the United Kingdom where our silent scenics are appearing in more than fifty theatres each week. The wide range of .subjects available allows for constant changes, and the films are doing excellent work over an extensive field. Arrangements have recently been made for the re-showing of some of the best films in some twenty important theatres in Australia and they will be supported >\v screen advertising.” ABREAST OF THE TIMES. Lecturers in America, said the Minister, had been supplied with selected subjects,. but silent films were not • ccej table for general, showing. In consequence of the world-wide change from silent to sourid films, the Deiu:tment’s production programme, and to some extent its plans for distribution, 1 had to "be re-cast. A local firm which lias done a great deal of film work ffor the department has now imported the necessary sound plant, and would work in co-operation with the department in the production of suitable sound films. The existing “silent” negatives could be utilised—there was no special need to re-photograph many of the scenic subjects—and by the introduction of “reporter” or “guide” talk and a “bacu ground” of music the best of the existing silent material could be made acceptable to distributers of sound -films. Technical teste had been made and one trial film had already been “set to sound.” The department would now go ahead with a full programme oi "work, and already offers had been received from film distributing c< mpanies.The adaption of sileut finns to sound would, be backed by the fir-i----production off .sound pictures ui the ; field. Production of .16 millimeter (small) films from standard negatives was under way and some hundreds o’ copies would go into distribution immediately. MATERIAL FOR OVERSEAS. Printed publicity matter had recently gone oversas in large quantities, and . further folders and guidebooks were now with the printers, the Minister stated. An adequate range of this class of material had been planned, covering the Dominion as a whole and dealing also with special or district attractions. Some of the best of tlie Department’s compilations were being reprinted to meet the demand abroad, and the total of the publications now being produced ran into several hundred thousands. Several thousands of posters ffor display .in America, Australia, and elsewhere had recently been shipped, and new poster designs were in production, and will go overseas immediately delivery could be given by the printers. . A NEW DEPARTURE. Window display designs and similar materials had been shipped in appreciable quantity to the Dominion’s best tourist market—Australia—and further supplies were in course of preparation. These would he shown throughout a chain of agencies extending from North Queensland to Perth. Hundreds of large coloured photographs had been sent during recent months to America and Australia, am! representatives abroad had been supplied with large numbers of whole plate photos, slides, transparencies, and similar matter. The New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in Australia had completed agency ar rangements throughout the Commonwealth and was himself now working from a prominent ground floor office location opposite the General Post Office in Sydney. The publicity work in Australia would in future be backed by an effective “booking” organisation. The Department’s newspaper and periodical advertising campaign in Australia had now commenced, and as a result many inquiries from prospective tourists were coming in. Th< newspaper campaign was being supported by thousands off illustrated let-ter-folders addressed by mail to selected lots of prospective tourists. All resultant inquiries would be effectively followed up by the local agents.

IN CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES. " Heavy shipments of all classes ol publicity matter were going forward to the Commissioners in Canada and the United States, and to other representatives of America. Further suitable contracts had been made in South Africa and the East, and arrange ments for the supply of printed matter and films to those areas were in hand. “In many less important aspects,” said Mr Perrelle, “the Department is taking every opportunity to advertise New Zealand abroad. New Zeaalnders leaving for overseas are supplied on request with publicity matter, and on request photographs, folders, and booklets are dispatched to, (friends and business assdeiates overseas, who may be induced 1 6 travel to the Dominion.”