The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-04-29
THE TIDE OF TOURISTS
BY FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

There are some three hundred thousand
Americans going abroad in this year of
grace 1903, and they will have left enough
money behind when they return next fall
ana winter to maintain Uncle Sans great
navy fer full year. The number of tour
lists and globe trotters who go from these
shores every year has been growing with
each passing season, and now even lordly
John Eull does not scOrn the little tide
or gold that sets his Wav. flowing along
with the tourist As for Switzerland the
beauty Of its scenery has proved more
than a substitute for the lacking fertility
OF soil. The Swiss have organized and cap
italized their beautiful landscapes and
lakes in way that makes il more prof
liable to have the barren lands than to
possess the most fertile region in Europe.
Ihey draw over three million tourists to
their land every year, and an expenditure
OF but thirty dollars a head would mean
SyOV0.ODO as the annual tribute the world
pays to roam through Switzerland. This
IS equal TO double the total amount of the
stock OF money in that country.
An interesting insight into the way the
American tourist spends his money when
he goes abroad is TO be had from a state
ment given out by leading London no
Tel. IN recent year II entertained $500
American tourists, and when il came TO
cast up their accounts II was found that
$50 each was the average. Like examina-
tons CT hotel accounts at other points
have borne out the experience of the Lon
don hosiery. Even the humble tip wears
"A lordlv air when taken as a whole. 1t
has been estimated that the railway
guards Of England get 81, 10000 year Ito
insure promptness.'
An experienced tourist agent has figured
the financial end Of the tourist business
with a great deal of care. His conclusions
are that the average American travelling
abroad leaves behind him 500. hard cash.
That means these tourists spend a total
or sos 10000 in addition TO the cost OF
steamship tickets. which would add at
least $4,000 600 more. He concludes that
the average letter of credit carried abroad
by the AmericanC calls for 5000, ranging
from few hundred dollars up to $1,000.
he is of the opinion that the American
women travelling abroad spend two mil
lion dollars in Paris gowns, and almost as
much more in Partisan millinery.
The American has taken his place at the
head o. the list of globe trotters. The day
traveller in the world. His business and
his pleasure took him to the ends Of the
earth. His familiar figure was seen and
his peculiar accent was heard more than
those of any other nationality. But that
was before Uncle Sam had grown rich
enough to play the globe trotteT. He has
since reached the period of comfortable at
fluence, and can spend money in a way
that makes John Bull only second in the
race The result is that one sees two
American suit cases where he sees one
English Gladstone bag.
The mechanism Of travel has developed
lAANO AtAdA ulE SAdLt Dl DtIlGtllDll AlidL de-
tounds him who is unacquainted with it.
Il was only in 1S41 the year 'Tippecanoe
and Tyler too assumed the reins Of the
United states government. that the first
excursion train was Tu0. II was an Eng
fish venture and ran from Leicester to
LOughborOugh. to attend a public meeting
and the excursion was conducted by the
father of the world 5 greatest excursion
business. His successors can now issue a
few stamped pieces Of pasteboard, which
viii be honoUed for a dinner on the Nile
or q lunch in Siberia, which viii settle
for ride on an African camel. or for be
ing carried by Chinese coolies. II will
carry one to the next town or bring him
around the world and back again. II is
the triumph of twentieth century travel.
One who has not sailed every sea can
scarcely realize the vast arrangements
that have been made for the accommoda-
ton Of the tourists, and how the tourists
are continually demanding more and
greater accommodations. London, a gen
Grafton ago. was not much of hotel
town. It's hOstleries were always disap-
pointing to Americans. Then came the
trail Of the tourist. He woke up the hotel
man. He wanted better accommodations
and he did not rest until he got them. The
result Is many superb hotels standing as
monuments TO the American traveller. who
wanted the best Switzerland built twen-
ty-Six electric mountain railways 20 salts
fy the cravings Of the traveller for new
thrills and sensatiOnS-apd every one has
proved more than paying investment
Switzerland has schools in which guides
are trained and supplied with that strange
admixiure of history. fact and fancy
which makes such pleasing tumble for
the tourist. other schools teach the art
Of hotel waiting. and. in short: there is
a school for every branch Of the industry
Of entertaining travellers. and incidentally
Of parting them from their coin
France is perhaps the most fortunate OF
all countries in the matter Of entertaining
the tourist. Besides her fun quota Of or
binary tourists. good roads make her the
paradise Of the autOmObiEst. There are
usuall- about 5000 automobile parties from
America touring in France during a single
season. and in these parties there are
some $1,000 Americans. 1t is estimated
that they alone drop 100000 of good