TOURISTS ASHORE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1933, Page 6

TOURISTS ASHORE

HIRE OF MOTOR-CARS

GOOD ROADS- AND HOTELS

AUCKLAND, February 20.

In spite of the increased petrol prices- resulting from the higher petrol duties, there is at least one direction in which motor trattie lias increased m Auckland this week. The arrival of the two liners, Lurline and Caruithia, on round-the-world cruises, gave employment to a large fleet or luxurious motor-cars for private trips and organised excursions round trie city, with a consequent heavy petrolconsumption and benefit to both motorhiring lrrnis and petrol suppliers. For both vessels the city had literal ly to be combed for suitable cars. In most cases taxicabs were hardly suitable, as more yroornv and luxurious cars were needed. One unfortunate feature is that the majority of the drivers entered into contracts to pro T vide cars about six months ago, quoting prices based on their costs at the time. They now have to pay higher prices for petrol and some of them may experience .difficulty in clearing a. reasonable profit.

There is definite evidence that there 'u a ‘.‘drift to the Pacific” in the world’s tourist traffic, particularly in the tourist traffic from the United States. ALany wealthy tourists prefer to do the); 4 , sight-seeing on motor tours of the country, and good roads can form a very strong attraction for them. The wealth to be derived from a growing tourist traffic can in part be regarded as a return for expenditure on permanent main highway construction.

As Auckland seems destined to be the main tourist port, it is considered by those in touch with the tourist business that permanent improvements to the mu in south road, the route to all the magnificent' scenic resorts °f the North Island should be undertaken in tlie near future. One man interested in the tourist traffic said the visits this week by tlie liners would lielp to bring home the necessity for increased modern hotel accomodation in Auckland end Rotorua. He sMfl that throughout this week it had been practically impossible for casual visitors to secure accomodation at Auckland’s leading hotels and he was definite on tlie point that incresed hotel accommodation was needed at Rotorua.

“For catering and service, the hotels at Rotorua are excellent,” he said. “But wealthy tourists from overseas are used to modern hotels,

with a variety of facilities for guests. Tin’s is gradually being appreciated in New- Zealand, and as soon as business conditions shown signs of improvement, there,will probably be a boom in hotel building, in Rotorua and other tourist resorts.”