PUBLICITY FOR TAUPO

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 196, 28 October 1955, Page 6

PUBLICITY FOR TAUPO

The public meeting held in the War Memorial Hall 011 October 11, to consider the setting up of a Public Relations Cffice m for Taupo, as reported in the last issue of the Taupo Times, was an indication that the need for local action, to secure due recognition for Taupo's claims as a national tourist and holiday /j resort, is being realised by a growing number of Taupo people. The way in which the Government Tourist Department | has for years neglected Taupo in its preparation of tour itineraries m was emphasised by the speakers, as well as its failure to supply 1J anv adequate information, either in New Zealand or abroad, as 1 to Taupo1 s attractions for the tourist. And emphasis was, very ■'% fittingly, laid on the need for the people oi Taupo themselves to J take the lead in providing a due measure of such publicity. A further point on which the meeting laid stress was the S need for the arrangement of entertainment, inlormation and trip organisation facilities for visitors, and the proyision of such ser- * j vices was, together with publicity for the district's attractions. j indicated as being amongst the main functions of the proposed ;| public relations office. When some progress has been niade in thcse matters the j case for more help from the Government Tourist and Publicity ;ii Department will be very greatly strengthened. The setting up | by the meeting of a provisional committee to further the public || relation office project mav later, it is to be hoped, be seen as 'M ing been a milestone in Taupo' s history as a tourist resort. But | whether that is to be so will depend entirely on the amount oi 3 work put into, and of financial support accorded, to the project. | The meeting showed that there was a pleasing amount of en- m thusiasm for the proposed organisation. It remains to harness that enthusiasm and, as one sneaker put it, with colloquial pun- M gency, "to get stuck into the job." , 1; J Mention was made at the recenc meeting 0 . uhe pubiicT •* o'iven by the Government Tourist Department at^ Rotorua, aua of the fact that such publicity naturally followed the immahent M of Government moneys there. But it is important to not-e that. ;g as reported in this issue, considerable effort and financial support | is being given by the people of Rotorua themselves to publicity and the nrovision of tourist entertainment. _ , * 'J It goes without saying that Taupo, at its present stage of 1 develonment, cannot hope to compete with Rotorua m the actual -i m: moncy to be spent on publicity and I nrooTamines. But Rotorua' s competition tor the attention ot ttie J tourist will have to be met. It should be a spur to mcreased, sus- J tained and well-thoujrht out effort on the part oi the people ot | Taupo to establish the proposed public relations ofliee, and to | support it fmanciallv and otherwiae once it has been estabhshed. |