Bring Foreign Tourists to Britain!
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Co-operative Publicity OverseastheMostEffective Method of Attracting Visitors from Abroad to Travel by Coach in This
Country
SPEAKING in London, on February 18, at the British Industries Fair banquet, Mr. Walter Runciman, President of the Board of Trade, commented on Great Britain's growing attraction for foreign visitots--" invisible exports on holiday," s as he called them.. "Britain is not only a cheap country to buy in," he said, "but also a cheap country to evisit—this fact was, largely through the efforts of the Travel and Industrial Development Association, still more widely appreciated abroad in 39:J4, and there was an increase of more than 25,000 in the number of our visitors from foreign countries than in 3933." Mr. Runciman also expressed the 'opinion that the figure for 1935 Would show a still further inereas'e, especially in view of the comparative inexpensiveness of a holiday in this country. • Decline of French Industry.
In France the tourist industry has become of national importance, an importance which has never been attained in this country, and figures read recently in the Paris Senate have aroused draw concern. The French hotel and tourist industry is suffering as a result of a decline of two-thirds in the number of foreign visitors to France since 1927, and a resolution has been passed by the Senate urging the Government to take measures to assist the business.
France has always pursued the policy of encouraging foreign visitors and has sccordingly benefited financially. In 1927 Americans alone spent 190,000,000 dollars in that country, or five times a.s
much as they spent in the United Kingdom in the same year. The fact 'that, in 1931, the French Government appro-priated approximately £250,000 for
advertising abroad indicates the importance placed on the tourist trade.
From statistical data it has been ascertained that 1-10th of the money spent by American tourists abroad (excluding steamship fares) is devoted to transport, whilst approximately ith is represented by hotel charges.
There is clearly a vast market of travel buyers waiting to be tapped, but it must be remembered that most foreign visitors commit themselves to a time schedule and an expense budget before leaving their native countries. It is, therefore, obvious that any concern operating coach tours will, if it desires to tap this market to any great extent, be obliged to bring its travel facilities to the notice of foreign tourists before they reach this country, in order that they may make their plans accordingly.
In order that the cost of advertising may be kept within reasonable bounds, co-operative publicity would be the best policy. In this direction Italy has much to teach us, for in that country hotels, cities, resorts and railways have combined to a great extent to attract visitors, and all the participants have benefited correspondingly.
That touring by road is the best method of seeing Britain .is indis putable, yet we find that the railways advertise abroad, whilst road concerns are apathetic in this direction. If it pays the railways to advertiseabroad, surely road transport, which can offer superior facilities, should find overSeas advertising remunerative. Touring concerns favourably situatesi for cafering for foreign tourists would do well seriously to consider launching such a scheme of co-operative publicity during the forthcoming sumther.
Advertisements promoted by individual concerns are seldom large enough to he outstanding. Britain has for many years been practically ignored by the tourist, because of this attitude of individualism upon which we pride ourselves. To bring foreign tourists toBritain and to get them to travel by coach "a long pull, a strong pull and a united pull" is needed.
Where to Advertise Abroad.
Space will not permit me to go into great detail as to the channels which such publicity should follow, but I suggest that advertising might well be undertaken in Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada and U.S.A. As approximately 65 per cent, of foreign visitors are women, advertisements should be drafted to appeal directly to them and should provide information concerning the tours offered, the dates of departure and return and the places visited, whilst the price should be inclusive of all necessary expenses. Jubilee year is an ideal year for attracting tourists to Britain, whilst the rate of exchange will commend itself to foreign visitors. Road-transport con, cerns should set themselves out to cater for the influx of visitors which the President of the Board of Trade is confidently anticipating. TRANSEX. c45