Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-18
THE CHANGING TOURIST.
English Travellers Replaced by Ger
mans and Americans.
From the London Express.

From the London Express.
During the past few years it has been
my custom to spend a month or two
in one or other of the Fairgrounds OF
Europe. have noticed and 1 have
heard many persons comment on the fact
that the English are going abroad IN
ever decreasing numbers. Formerly
wherever one went in Switzerland,
France or Italy the vast majority of
visitors were English. Milford was a
convenient and general description Of the
profitable stranger in quest Of pleasure,
Pride of place has now been usurped by
the Teuton and the American. -
Ten years ago., according to the pro-
prietor of a great hotel in Lucerne, so
per cent of his guests were Of British
and 10 per cent of German nationality.
Now the figures are just reversed, Hun
dreds of little pensions have come into
existence all over Switzerland. They
are supported mainly by Germans of very
moderate means, who, however can al
ford to travel and who do SO In numbers
that multiply year after. year. At the
same time. the more expensive hotels are
seeing that the Teuton of means is the
man they must keep in their. minds eye
and for whose satisfaction they must
cater.
Lugano, once depending mainly on
British visitors, has become virtually a
German colony in the holiday seasons.
deserted by the English, hut / am sure
that for every English tourist who stays
there ten Germans could be produced.
Como and Maggiore benefit by Lugano'
loss, but even on these loveliest Of all
lakes the German tide is steadily and
surely rising. This applies especially to
Bellagio and Locarno, places of easy &C.
cess. The beer garden Is one of the signs
Of German invasion. A few years ago
the beer garden in Italy. except in the
will find one near the landing stage Of
the lake boats in dozens of quiet lake
side villages.
Venice is overrun by Germans. Myriads
buried in their guide books. swarm into
the famous churches Of the canals and
haunt the square and Cathedral of st.
Mark. The gOndOliers say that the hid
eous. penny steamers on the Grand canal
are mainly supported by Germans, who
will not take q gondola for their ex-
cursionS.
The monks of the St. Bernard Hospice
know the German tourists only too well.
They are an infection almost as hard to
bear with resignation as the rtgors OF
their desolate habitation on the wild pass.
1 was there in August for a night. and 1
think there must have been almost a
hundred Germans present. guests by the
lnVlOldDlO trdOlLlOn Oh Inc uOSplCc.
Even where the Anglo-Saxons are
found in considerable NUMBERS 1t is the
American rather than the English. The
proprietor of one of the most famous
hotels in southern Italy told me that If
it were not for the Americans he could
not keep his hotel open. He will not
have Germans at any price ii he can pos
slbly help It, The English fall him, SO
he has to fall back on Americans. He
declared that they come in increasing
numbers every year.
1.-The rich Englishman." he said. seems
to have vanished. l remember the time
when I could let whole suites Of rooms.
Now this is only done when some royal
parsonage or some wealthy American
stays here.
"Of course, the majority of Americans
travel In caravans (the Italian designa-
ton for tourist parties). But even SO /
am glad to have them. Other hotels here
have the same experience. They could
not keep open for a year on British
uatrOnaSe.'