Travel
[We publish on this page articles and notes which may help otir readers in making their plans for travel at home and abroad. They are written by correspondents who have visited the places described. We shall be glad to answer questions arising out of the Travel articles published in our columns. Inquiries should be addressed to the Travel Manager, The SPECTATOR, 99 Gower
Street, W.C. 1.]
What Great Britain offers to Tourists—II FROM the point of view of the ideals of international good will supported by Apa, the value of an exchange of holiday- makers cannot be ovar-emphasized. The more the British go abroad, and meet members of other nations, learning their different outlooks, and increasing feelings of mutual friendship, the more easy it will be for statesmen to maintain the peace in our time for which we all pray. We may, however, well be concerned because the number of foreigners coming to this country is so small in comparison with the number of British who go abroad.
What do we offer to attract visitors ? A number of French visitors come every year to England for their holidays and give the following reasons for their love of this country. They find its beauties unsurpassed ; our old castles, Arundel or Harlech for instance, as romantic as any on the Continent ; and our mountain and moorland scenery delightfully restful. A party of French Mayors and their wives travelling last autumn from Hastings to London, were amazed to find how picturesque was the scenery, and how few were the hoardings, petrol stations and other disfigurements that are only too conspicuous in certain districts both at home and abroad. On arrival, they exclaimed with delight because London was not submerged in fog, and were surprised to find such Magnificent modern buildings as Bush House, the Horti- cultural Hall and Imperial Chemical House. One lady enquired seriously whether St. Paul's Cathedral had been recently washed, as it looked so clean, after the stories which she had heard of the grime of our cities.
These visitors were typical of many who do not know post-War England. They imagine, after reading over- coloured articles in the foreign Press, that rural England and Wales, so valiantly defended by. Mr. Clough Williams-Ellis and others, is already spoilt.. They discover to their delight that this country can offer beauty and interest, not only in the well-known tourist centres like Windsor, Oxford, Bath, the Lake District and Edinburgh, but also in less known districts around Canterbury, Chichester, Chester, York, and Perth.
Other French visitors appreciate the cleanliness of our streets, and the perfection of our, sanitary systeni. `. They even confess that they enjoy drinking pure water; .11fany say on their return that they had never realized before the numerous attractions offered in Great Britain to foreign tourists. They had not known, for example, that there are so many hotels and boarding houses to suit purses of varying depth in 'our popular resorts. They praise the solid comforts of our old-fashioned hotels. They eXpresi their pleasure at finding so many places of entertainment, which actually start punctually according to the advertised time ! They admit that our golf links, our tennis courts and other places of sport are unrivalled. As a nation, we are singularly back- ward in advertising these attractions, and even when we do advertise them, we so frequently give a wrong impression.
For example, a hotel recently sent a brochure to a well-to-do business man on the Continent, quoting terms of 18S: a day. The recipient imagined that this included only dejeuner and diner.- When he had stayed at the hotel for a ,couple of days, and done full justice to the three-course breakfast and a Devonshire tea, he remarked that our hotels, if they wish to attract thrifty foreigners, should quote reduced terms, if a meat breakfast and a heavy tea are not required.
Many other examples could be given, if space allowed, of how we are not giving the best impression of the attrac- tions we can offer to foreigners. Fortunately the Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland of 1 Pall Mall East, London, S.W. 1, of which Lord Derby is President, is working hard to put Britain on the map of foreign tourists. But this admirable organization, although given official help from the Government, needs steadier and more intelligent support from holiday resorts, hotels and all who desire to see the number of visitors to these islands increased.
' • [The-third article will suggest practical ways of-attracting
more tourists.] •
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