Tahiti's Tourist Hopes
p. 49 · Read in the full issue
Based Apparently on Eastern U.S.A.
From Our Own Correspondent.
Papeete, Mar. 21.
THE tourist traffic, which has provided a substantial revenue for Tahiti during recent years, and on the expan sion of which hopes for an increasing income were based, has been cut off with out any hope of revival —so far as the Pacific Coast of the United States is con cerned.
Economic conditions have changed vastly during the past lustrum, shifting trade connections from old sources of sup ply and closing markets formerly open to the products of the Islands.
For instance, many varieties of mer chandise formerly imported from the United States now come from Japan, Hong Kong, and Czecho-Slovakia. Food stuffs come from Australasia.
It is true that lumber and petroleum products are supplied from the Pacific Coast. But these can be transported only on freight steamers —especially petroleum which is not allowed as cargo on pas senger vessels.
Export of Islands products to the States is interdicted by tariff imposts, excluding the possibility of any return cargo for vessels voyaging from the Coast to the Islands.
It would appear, therefore, that any revival of tourist traffic must be based on the service offered by the Messageries Maritimes steamers which voyage be tween Panama, Tahiti, and New Cale donia, at six weeks’ intervals. There are,
fortunately, lines of palatial steamers, with frequent sailings from New York via Panama to San Francisco and return.
It might be to the advantage of all concerned to explore the possibilities of a tourist traffic from the Atlantic Coast of the United States. The short voyage from New York to Panama, and connect ing there with the Messagaries Mantimes steamers to Tahiti, would offer a comfort able and interesting voyage to the South Seas. If the steamship companies inter ested would be willing to arrange special through tariffs and invest in some judicious advertising in the Eastern United States, they would doubtless be rewarded with a substantial response.
It is from the Eastern States that travellers, seeking to escape the severe temperatures prevailing there during the winter months, go in great numbers to milder climates. A direct route to the South Seas on comfortable steamers and at moderate travelling expense would certainly offer an attractive change from the routine Mediterranean voyage so largely patronized.