ADVERTISE !

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5506, 27 November 1929, Page 2

ADVERTISE !

Attracting tourists. THE PACIFIC ERA. Prophesying that the Pacific era, when it came, would be thp greatest the world had ever seen,“Mr G. T. Armitage, secretary of the Hawaiian Tourist Bureau, in addressing the Wanganui Rotary Club, appealed to the business men of New Zealand to back up their own publicity office in order to attract tourist traffic with its new money.

Mr Armitage, who is revisiting New Zealand after an absence of six years, spoke of the value to a country of tourist traffic because of the, new money that was set in circulation. , Over half a million Americans went abroad last year, he said, while three million American cars travelled to Canada. It was estimated that travelling Americans spent 1,300,000,000 dollars annually, and that last year’s half-million spent 818,000,000 dollars. If figures were available showing how much Americans spent in the Pacific the total would be pitiful beside the amount they spent in the East. Dwellers in the Pacific were too Pacificminded. A Travelling Urge. “The Pacific era, in this generation or the next, is going to be the greatest the world has ever seen,” said Mr Armitage. “If we want to bring this very productive business our way it is our business to do so. People are seeking for new fields. There is a travelling urge in the world to-day, particularly in America. They are just itching and aching for new places to go and for new sports and recreation facilities, but they have to be told ■ about it.” The tourist’s affairs in New Zealand were handled, very well indeed, continued Mr Armitage, and the service in that direction was a fine one. Also, he had seen the Dominion’s advertising and publicity methods abroad. He felt sure that if the business men of New Zealand backed up its Publicity Department, with adequate funds—and- it was necessary “to make a noise” m America—that in time the money expended would be returned manyfold. “Some people shrug their shoulders at this tourist business—they do not like the idea of dealing in people and getting money away from them,” said, the speaker. “I think it is a legitimate and honourable business.” Many believed that only hotels and only a small section of the community reaped the benefit of tourist traffic ; but in Hawaii, by a system of checking tourist dollar bills, it was proved that, the money that came into the country was spent in the most unexpected places. The Hawaii Tourist Bureau was co-operating with the New Zealand and publicity officers, and it distributed New Zealand literature free of charge, besides taking tourists to view New Zealand publicity films. If these two countries worked together in years to come they, would hasten the prosperity of the Pacific.”