Visitors to Britain
The statement this week by Lord Hacking, chairman of the British Travel Association, who has been on a good will tour in the U.S.A. and Canada, that tens of thousands of people on the other side of the Atlantic are anxious to come to Britain for holidays this year serves as a pleasant reminder that nothing, not even winter weather, lasts for ever. About 70,000 visitors are expected from the U.S.A. and 20,000 from Canada—a number limited by the transport avail- able. Travel to Britain is not yet the light-hearted business it might be. Lord Hacking hopes that the visa fee may be abolished if the visa itself cannot go, but to obtain a passport the American visitor must already have arranged transport to, and accommodation in, this country. It was apparent from the travelling that took place last summer that difficulties do not deter the enthusiastic traveller. Lord Hacking had two improvements to suggest at this end—cheap and efficient transport and a welcoming atmosphere—and he contrasted the chaos he found in England on his arrival on Monday with the friendliness of his reception in America. Britain can hardly be said to have been at its best on Monday, but there has always been room for improvement in our methods of receiving visitors. A third field for improvement might have been mentioned—our hotels. If we can add comfort to the amenities of a pleasant countryside and his- toric buildings, we have more to gain than good will. Lord Hacking mentioned that each American visitor staying twenty days may be expected to spend $r;000, and that the £25,000,000 we may receive from our visitors this year would go a long way to meet the C35,0oop00 annual interest on the American loan.
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