TOURIST TRAFFIC

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26635, 4 December 1947, Page 6

TOURIST TRAFFIC

ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM SMALL BOARDING HOUSES SUGGESTED P.A. INVERCARGILL, Dec. 3. “We would send far more tourists to the South Island if accommodation were available. Last year, because of lack, of accommodation, we had to turn away 7000 people who wanted to go to Queenstown,” said Mr L, J. Schmidt, general manager of the Government Tourist Department, in the course of an address on the tourist industry to the annual conference of the South Island Local Bodies’ Association.

“I want to dispel from your minds the idea that the department has its favourite resorts. This idea is' quite wrong. '"Our job is and must be a national one,” Mr Schmidt added. During the year ended March 31, 1946, the. department had .sold 11,999 tours for the South Island, 11,379 for the North, and 3053 for both islands. During the following year the figures were 13/766 for the North, 11,764 for the South and 4224 for both islands. He suggested that an immediate solution of the difficulty would be the erection of comparatively small boarding houses which would also help to overcome the staffing problem. Tire department would support applications for such building permits, especially if made by returned servicemen who would thus be providing homes for themselves.