CANNOT ADVERTISE DOMINION TOO MUCH

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 12, 5 September 1931, Page 3

CANNOT ADVERTISE DOMINION TOO MUCH

unique attractions big prospects from u.s. tourist traffic ' "BEST FISHING IN WORLD" "You cannot do too mqch advertising. You have a wonderful tourist - country and you should let people know plenty about it. You should have a tremendous tourist" traffie within the next few years," said Mr J. W. Dye, United States Consul in Wellington in an interview with a "Post" representative last evening. Mr Dye has been transferred from Wellington to Melbourne, and is spending a short holiday in Rotorua before leaving New Zealand to take over his new duties. Mr Dye i? most enthusiastic regarding New Zealand's tourist attractions and particularly the tront fishing in the Taupo and Rotorua districts, which he described as "the best in the world." "I have done a good deal of fishing myself," he said, "and I have talked a lot to fishermen. Your fish-" ing in New Zealand beats anything we have in America. That is the marvellous thing about New Zealand, your fish grow so big here and so does everything'else. I am very sorry that I will miss the season here myself as I was looking forward to fishing at faupo."

Tourist Possibilities From what he had observed of the attractions in New Zealand, Mr Dye was quite certain that it would prove a wonderful attraetion to American tourists if it was properly advertised. As soon as the depression lifted there were large numbers of wealthy Amerr cans who would -visit New Zealand if they knew of its attractions. The Californian Coast particularly should be a very fruitful source for tourist trade as there were many wealthy Californians who would make a trip to New Zealand. The voyage was not too long and could be broken with calls at the different Pacific Islands. Mr Dye stressed the absolute importance of publicity, however, and expressed the opinion that much more could be done in this direction than was being done at present. Every pound spent on advertising New Zealand in America, he considered, would be well spent for New Zealand could offer the wealthy American tourist what he was looking for — a country new and unusual with wonderful snortine1 facilities..

Right Kind of People "Quite apart from your shooting and fishing," said Mr Dye, "your country has wonderful resources and with a return to normal times, you must prosper. Then too,- you have the right kind of people here; I know we have made a lot of friends in a very short time and everyone has been very very nice to us." "As a matter of fact, you people here do not realise how well t>ff you are — there are many people in other countries who are not so well off in good times as you are at present." Have ito Reduce "At the same time, you will probably have to come down in everything and reduce prices, values, and wages. Undoubtedly prices are going to remain- at a lower level for some years now, and the world will have to adjust itself to that position. I think.your land values will have to come down because at present they certainly appear to be inflated. Compared with the U.S.A. and Canada your land prices are very high- — prices like £100 an acre are almost unknown over there." So far as New Zealand advertising methods in America were concerned, Mr Dye expressed the opinion that attractive matter supplied to the tourist agencies and newspaper advertising were very effective and should bring results. The action of an American shipping line in commencing a New Zealand service should also give the American tourist traffie to New Zealand a fillip, especially as this- new service was allied with an extensive advertising campaign in the States. Of |all Nqw Zealand's attractions, however, he considered that probably the fishing would have the greatest pull in America. No other country had anything like it whereas America had her own thermal region and striking scenery. A point should also be made of the wonderful shooting. In the States the deer shooting season never lasted more than 10 days, yet round Rotorua deer were so plentiful that they had been shot as vermin. Americans would welcome this wonderful shooting and if they were told about it by effective publicity, would assuredly respond. Mr Dye was not prepared to offer any comment upon tariff or trade questions but concluded by stating that the American Government would be ready and 6ven glad to co-operate with New Zealand in any way to improve their mutual relations.