"PUBLICITY WASTED"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 425, 6 August 1928, Page 13

"PUBLICITY WASTED"

U.S. TOURS MANAGER CRITICISES N.Z. TOURISTS BY TOFUA “If it were not for the attention and courtesy of the railway and customs people we would find it difficult to get along—the Tourist Department does not do much, and a considerable amount of New Zealand publicity is being wasted.” Thus Mr. J. L. Wheeler, junr.. of Civic Tours, Ltd.. San Francisco, who led a party of 12 American visitors down the gangway of the Tofua this I morning and proceeded with characteristic celerity to make preliminary arrangements for a 10-day tour of the North Island. Air. Wheeler is no stranger to the Dominion. He visits here twice a year, knows the country intimately, and is more than half in lovo with it. But he is not at all satisfied that New Zealand publicity is being followed up to the best advantage in America. POOR DISTRIBUTION "Recent literature issued by the New Zealand Publicity Department and forwarded to America is very fine,” he told The Sun after the members of his party had been shepherded safely ashore. “The trouble is that it is being wasted to a large extent by poor distribution, while—and this is still more important—there is no proper selling agency. “In the tourist business one must connect up with the interest roused by the publicity literature. A man reads a pamphlet and becomes interested. That’s the time to ‘sell’ him the trip. “He must be approached before his interest fades. At present there is no system by which the ‘prospects’ may bo approached and followed up.” Though he has this criticism to offer, Mr. Wheeler is by no means a captious or intolerant visitor. On the contrary he is a confirmed optimist with considerable faith in a country that is benefiting to no small extent from his efforts and the enterprise of his firm. The Civic tours to New Zealand and the Islands are arranged in groups, each comprising 12 persons. In the summer as many as four groups are brought to the Dominion, but it is difficult to persuade Americans to face winter conditions in Maoriland, with the result that only one of the two groups which left the TJ.S.A. for the present tour was tempted to visit the North Island. The members of the party are all well-to-do Americans of social prominence and they will visit every part of the North Island that can be embraced in a 10-day itinerary. BETTER CONDITIONS "We specialise in the New Zealand trips.” said Mr. Wheeler. "I make it my business to keep well abreast of the country’s affairs and development from the point of view of the tourist traffic. We are trying to build up and improve all the time. We are compelled to, because Americans have things so handy in their own country that they are not going to come this way unless we can show them speed and comfort, combined with attractiveness. “I would like to praise the Island trip. The arrangements, are good and the Tofua is a comfortable ship that pleases allcomers. Most of the people who came with me find Samoa particularly interesting because it. is more ‘native.’ The Government makes all arrangements for our trips to Samoa, but this has been the first occasion on which we have had difficulty. “We were faced with difficulties in the loyal Government villages. The people wanted more pay, and made other demands. They are more commercialised, and did not meet us in the same free and

friendly spirit that was shown in the past.”