TOURIST PROGRESS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 78, 23 November 1931, Page 5

TOURIST PROGRESS

OVERSEAS WORK REVIEW BY GENERAL MANAGER OF DEPT. ROTORUA ACTIVITIES An interesting review of recent activities of his department was given a "Post" ifepresentative ora Friday, by Mr. G. W. Clirakard, General Maraager of the Tonrsst and Publicity Department, who paid a visit to Rotorraa last week. The New Zealand Trade and Tour ist Commissioner in Australia, whc had returned in August from a trade mission to the East Indies and Malaj States, had reported a very satisfactory response to the Department's publicity work in the Commonwealth. said Mr. Clinkard. Extensive newspaper advertising had been carried out last year and again during this year, although finaneial difficulties had enforced some reduction in this year's eampaign Window displays, lecture work and other forms of publicity had been extensively used to encourage traffic to the Dominion and it was pleasing to be able to report that at botb Sydney and Melbourne, there had been increased booking through the Department's offices. Gratifyirag Enqniries The ' establishment of a chain of sub-agents in most of the important secondary towns in Australia had also given very encouraging results and the inquiries for the approaching tourist season had, under all the circumstances, been very gratifying.

While in the East, the Department's Australian Commissioner had been able to make contact with a number of travel agencies which were in a position to send business to the Dominion. Arrangements had been made to encourage this traffic, . and definite bookings had already resulted. Provision had also heen made for the distribution of publicity materials of various kinds throughout that area. Americara Parties The Matson liner "Malolo" was again making her usual annual round the Pacific pleasure cruise, and a party of 120 tourists would arrive in Rotorua for a brief visit on Sunday, November 29. Unfortunately, conditions in America had been such that this season's cruise had not been well patronised. The time available in New Zealand and indeed in most of the countries visited, was unfortunately very limited, and the tourists were able to see only a few of the scenic wonders and beauties of the Dominion. The Department, however, regarded these ci'uises as of special value in diverting further business towards New Zealand as tfavellers on the sbip often returned for a longer stay In the Dominion. The new Matson liner, Manfosa, would visit New Zealand in February, stated Mr. Clinkard, and the Department had been asked to make arrangements for another large party of American tourists. American Publicity The New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner in America, Mr. J. W. Collins, had his headquarters in Toronto and had been increasingly busy with publicity work. He had recently visited many of the most important travel agencies in North America and had supplied draft itin-

eraries and costs of New Zealand ^ tours which the agencies could sell x on an arranged commission basis. ^ Printed publicity material was be- i ing widely distributed, and displays i of pictures, sporting trophies, etc., had been made at many points. A particularly fine display had been arranged in the large windows of the . Canadian Pacific Railway Co.'s offices in New York. The Canadian National Exhibition held annually at Toronto had been used as an opportunity for a fine display of material illustrative of New Zealand's scenic assets. The exhibit had been particularly well received and was seen by many thouj sands of Canadian and American visitors. The Department had recently heen producing sound films of the Dominion's attractions and these were now being shown in the United Kingdom and would shortly be released throughout Australia.

Rotorua Aetivities In eonelusion, Mr. Clinkard stated that he was very pleased with the general appearance of the Department's various properties in Rotorua and expressed the hope that funds would he available to complete the Blue Baths without undue delay. The Department looked forward to open- j ing before Christmas what would ul- | timately be the juvenile Blue bath. "While this portion of the baths might not he entirely completed by that time, it should provide a very aeeeptable facility for mixed bathing, and one which had not previously been available in Rotorua.