POOR HOSTS?

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 September 1932, Page 4

POOR HOSTS?

THE N.Z. PUBLJ WELL-KNOWN JOURNALi«i( CRITICISMS OP 1DOMINION P REGEPTION OF TOURi The following are extracts an article by Mr. Will H, J the welhknown New Zealand A er and journalist, which appoJ; in the cnrrent issue of SiijjM) Weekly. 'New Zealanders lia\® various oecasions been accus« being a self-complacent people® Mik'LawsonV views althougft® tinctly controversial wjfi ® New "Zealanders a* glinipse® themselves through other's ® tacles. If the glimps'e is nol* tirely edifying it at least pr® es food for* thdught and js B douhtediy df outstanding int® to Rotorua as' a tourist ccril® "New Zealand elaims to bea® ist country; and as far as Natu® been responsible, the claim igj® "With the coming of the S Line's'hig ship'S* ffbm San Fr* and Los Angeles, and the extei® the luxury servjce to ' Melbour® Dominion h'olds high 'hopes forj® tourist season during th'e ® 'summer. Puhlicity campaigns i® erica have done much to pia® attractions of New Zealand befc® travelling publie' of tWo countri® comforts of the subsidised HmtM attraet them, too. • ' ' B "But snow-eapped peaks, ® lakes, thermal wonders, big ga® ing and other natural f eatures ® everything. P "Tourists want comfort and® tion. In America, it is called "s® but that word is unpalatable® New Zealander and the Aust® who sense somethihk servile in® "Tourist department or r® managers apparently do all tlie® for travellers, once they coin® their hands." But* the 'people ® Zealand or those who- come i® tact with tourists, laclc the® hand of hospitality to a travel® has come thousands of miles toi his money in the Dominion. ® Gool Comfort B "He is a stranger "a long way® home" and perhaps a bit lonel® depressed' at times. w "Maybe the New Zealander® serve is responsible; perhaps ® a slight inferiority complex f® meeting people from older conn® I or shyness. B "Whatever it is, it eomes to t® face in a brusque manner, often® ful to the sensitive tourist, rvl® New Zealand less 'finished' th® homeland 'in* many 'ways. ' I "Of course, American visito® New ' Zealand miss tiie' centrhl ■ ing of hotels and theatres, but® are other defects in New Zealan® el accommodation generally. I "In a country so new in the® ist market, too much caniiot h® pected— which is ' just as well® not much will be found. I "On the whole, the hotels ar® fortable, while cleaUliness iS f® New Zealand's virtues. Still,® surprising seeing that license® uallers have a six years' lease® from last elections, instead of® years, that something more hasl been done in improving theh® The slump has had a great ® do with this, coupled. with a c® lack of faxth in tlie voluriie oftB ist traffic which will be attraet® New Zealand. I Want Comfort ■ "New Zealanders should grasp® tourists want t'o se& new cou® and new things. and to enjoy ■ sport. But they want to do this® fortably in gOod tarS — and in® NeW Zealartd has"th6' goods— nn® in good hotels. Even fishermen® for accommodation; and if the® ficent Chateau Tongariro had ® built at Taupo, where trout-fishl® easy, "it would have been thr® with armchair fishermen, who ® luxurious hotg}..to live in while® fish. 8 "Though the service cars are® lent, the drivers vary in the )® slon of the tourist sense. Man® driye, giVing curt or taeiturn® tion to tKeir hnman freight. ® tlie cheery, chatty "stage" driv® their bwn country^ this strikes'® into the hearts 6f Amerieansor® adians. 4 I "It is the same with the hotel® least pretentious house will be ® home, if the staff is attentive,® a smiling weleome, and is ® ready with information and ® mak'ing the guests feel 'at home® Zealand has sueh hotels, hutth® few. 1 "So that if New Zealand ® cultivate the hahit of ser7ire ® tention or hospitality to ove® tourists, all other shortcon® would be forgotten, and P® would go away and tell their f"® what a good place New Zeahn® Not Good News I "As things are, the news c® baclc to America will not be j good, to judge by the opinin® som© of the visitors.' The 1® stay offered to travellers by th® soh boats and the 14 days' st® tween the Union boats' depad® and return from Australia, are® taken advantage of by Canadia® Americans, Yet it is a fact that® of the people- have not gone l® from Auckland 'than Rotorua fl ftom Wellington to Auckland- 1 they/ do not depart with mUC"l thnsiasm for New Zealand as a® ist paradise. , 8 "The remedy is entiroly in.| hands of New Zealanders toffC l the visitors as do,' for instanf® Californians or the Queenslana®