TOURIST INDUSTRY

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 348, 1 February 1937, Page 3

TOURIST INDUSTRY

VALUE TO TRAL2 DUKE OF KENT’S SLOGAN. KEEPING BRITAIN ON THE MAP LONDON, Dec. 2. The Duke of Kent hab suggested • new slogan—Trade Follows TuurisU •‘I canDoV,” he said, speaking at th dinner of the Travel and industna Development Association of Grea Britain and Ireland, “compete with th. wonderful rhyming slogans of the King However, I would like to give Britan this slogan—Trade Follows Tourists. 1 that is a slogan, I am afraid that i assumes the homely form of prose, bu at least it enables you to stress ai important truth. * ‘The British Isles do not occupy ■a very large place on the map, but it occupies a very important one.” HitRoyal Highness added. “It is. huw ever, very necessary to keep our coun trjy before the eyes of the rest of the world: it is even more necessarv that the world should have a true appreciation of us as a country.

RECORD YEAR CERTAIN. “The figures regarding the numbers of visitors to this country have increased year by year, and it is already certain that 1936 will be a record year. I understand that economists term the expenditure of visitors from abroad an 1 invisible export.’ This year the value of this ‘invisible export’ will probably exceed £30,000,000—a very important contribution to our oversea trade. “I should like to quote Professor Ogilvie in saying that‘ The world that travels is likely to be a world of peace.’ This Association believes that over and above the cash basis of tourism there is the spiritual value of any effort to attract visitors and trade to this country. A PEACE-LOVING COUNTRY.

“While it would be foolish to pretend that the world at present is in a harmonious state, it is always possible to take a hopeful view. This Association is wise in striking a cheeful note in its publicity of things which are fortunately to be found in abundance in the British Isles. Great Britain is a country where trade and industry prosper. It is a peaceful, peace-loving country, whose people are good-humoured and sportsmanlike, tolerant and hospitable.”

Turning to the Earl of Derby, president of the Association. His Royal High’ '•ss said: “I cannot think of a man who represents more worthily than you do the qualities of this country. 1 think that you epitomise British qualities at the highest—were it not for the fact that the dictionary tells me that ‘epitome’ means ‘a represenition in a miniature.’ ” (Laughter). VALUED ROYAL INTEREST. < Lord Derby, replying, said that their forefathers had preferred port in a hogshead to port in a bottle, and that he sincerely hoped that the Association would prefer a hogshead of himself to the mere contents of a bottle. Emphasising the importance of the work of the Royal FamDy toward the prosperity of Britain, he added:— “Royal interest has done much for us and has helped us greatly to extend. I should like to be able to put it into pounds, shillings, and pence what Royal interest has done for us, and for ail national works generally.”