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Briefs

Profitable Start For First Hotels In The GEIC

The Gilbert and Ellice Islands dony may have to increase the pacity of its two hotels at

kenibeu, Tarawa, and Funa

i, Ellice Islands, following the

rease in services of Fiji Air ys from Nausori and Nadi, i.

HE GEIC Resident Commissioner, Mr. V. J. Andersen, said this in awa at the end of May when he ned the fourth meeting of the IC Advisory Council.

J iji Airways inaugurated a fort htly service to Funafuti and awa in July, 1964, and stepped up to a weekly service on June Jr. Andersen said that the number passengers travelling by Fiji Air 's had exceeded expectations, and ; the hotels at Bikenibeu and lafuti had been running success y and profitably. le added that if better com lications between the GEIC and outside world resulted in an influx tourists, serious thought would e to be given to providing ac imodation and facilities “to cater what may well prove to be a •ce of economic gain to the any”. ☆ ☆ ☆ ORK is going ahead rapidly on the establishment of a Botanical dens and Zoological Park in imea. At the end of May about ' miles of roads had been pre d, six small bridges constructed many acres of land cleared, fith the great variety and itity of flora to be found in New sdonia, the local tourist bureau wes that the gardens will become of the leading attractions to ors to the island, undreds of tree and plant speci s are now ready in nurseries for splanting in the gardens.

THE leader of the Cook Islands Party, Mr. Albert Henry, who is expected to be the Cooks’ first Premier under self-government, said in Wellington at the end of May that tourism in his territory would be “encouraged to a certain extent”, but that “unfettered tourism was not desired”.

He added that he would discuss with the New Zealand Government the possibility of a public relations office being opened in New Zealand to issue permits to people wishing to make short visits to the Cooks.

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A NORFOLK Island Tourist Bureau has been opened at 22 Hunter Street, Sydney, to cater for the increasing number of Australian visitors to Norfolk Island. It is the island’s first overseas bureau. Mrs.

A. N. Dickson is manageress. ☆ ☆ ☆ MONT DORE, which is about three-quarters of an hour’s drive from the centre of Noumea,

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[ long been known as one of the st popular drives out of the city, ny local people have built week- I cottages along the beach, and s profit from the excellent fishing the area. |low tourists can share the tsures of Mont Dore by staying l new hotel called “Bungalows of nt Dore”. ts yet only three in number, these lanesian-style bungalows are corn able, attractively furnished and d with all modern conveniences, re is a restaurant on the sea shore. ☆ ☆ ☆ r ORK began recently on the building of 16 single suites, iplete with private baths, refrigera i, air-conditioning and hot and 1 water at the Hotel Madang, New nea. When completed, the suites bring the hotel accommodation to a maximum of 78. lore than £20,000 has been spent modernising the hotel in the last years. A recent addition was Bar, which is 80 ft tost at the Hotel Madang is Mr. a Abberton. 3LYNESIAN Airlines, which re cently bought a second DC-3 raft m the United States, is to ease its flights between Faleolo Jstern Samoa) and Nukualofa nga) from once a fortnight to 2 a week. his will mean that there will be e regular flights in and out of

Tonga each week. The third flight is provided by Fiji Airways—be tween Nadi and Suva, and Nukua lofa.

However the second DC3 was not due to arrive in Samoa until early July, and in June a routine check on the existing DCS resulted in the air craft being grounded by New Zealand Civil Aviation officials because of a suspected weakness in a wing con nection. It was possible the aircraft might have to be flown to NZ for repairs and a lengthy overhaul. ☆ ☆ ☆ THE French airline UTA will double its services between France and New Caledonia in November. There will be two weekly services via India, and two via the United States.

THE British airline, BOAC will extend its London-Auckland service via Sydney to Nadi, Fiji, in November when the new inter national airport is opened at Mangere, Auckland. The airline will use Boeing 707’s on this service instead of the present Comets.

APIA ATTRACTION. Apia's annual three day Independence celebrations look like establishing themselves as a major tourist attraction, reports R. F. Rankin. This year's celebrations, held from June 1-3, were the third since the territory became inde pendent and proved the most successful yet. The weather, as is usual for the time of the year, was perfect. Main feature this year was a sports tournament be tween Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga, and this is likely to become a regular fixture. There was also a regatta, horse racing, dancing and a march of youth at a ceremonial opening of Parliament (pic tured above, photo "Samoana").