Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-10-08
South Should be Greatest Tourist
Section Of Globe: CO.Operaa
ton Needed.

Italy has been receiving from it's
tourist business over 500, 600, 900 a
wear, according to a statement publish
cd in The Manufacturers Record a few
weeks ago, carefully compiled by DR..
{, 2. Ammen,s for many years a lead
ING newspaper man of statistical train
ING of Baltimore, who has been spend
inc a year or more in Southern Eu-
rome Doctor Ammen's statement
showed how this vas tourist revenue
had helped enrich Italy and witty it's
business activities. 1t is true that the
tourist who have annually spent this
s~rupendous sum in Italy of recent
years have been drawn from all parts
of the world. They have gone to Italy
eometimes to spend a few days, or a
few weeks, and, charmed by its eli.
mate and other attractions, have
extended their stay from days to
weeks. and from weeks to months. The
cituation in Europe will completely
change the tourist business, and open,
at least so far as the people of this
country are concerned, great possibil-
tiles to the South.
III was 6SI1A1dICu WnSu Tie EuTO~
moan war commenced that 120, 900
American tourists we're on the Con-
tinent and in Great Britain. 1t is
hardly conceivable, even if the war
should end before winter that the tour
lets which have heretofore f1ocked to
Furope at all seasons of the year,
come to seek the balmy air of the Med
itprranean and others to visit the
Great centers of art and trade, will, for
fhp next u months at least return to
Furope in any large numbers. This
is the opportunity of the South.
See the South first, last and all the
time" should be the cry of railroads
and hotels and all other interests con-
cerned in the welfare of this section
IT the thousands of people who annu-
ally visit Europe can now be turned
to a study of the South, the tourists
business of this section a be vastly
increased. The campaign ought to be-
gin immediately.
The high prices which the West is
receiving for foodstuffs will make
money easy and abundant in a large /
part of that section. Many thousands
of people will be financially able to
get away from the cold of the West
and the North and go South this win
ter, in addition to the usual winter
tourists. Here and there some who
have been accustomed to go to the
South may be unable, by reason Of
business conditions, to spend the win
ter there, but their place can be taken
by others who are able to go and who
49, ho lrowo r. tho SOT1fh If active I
and aggressive work is done.
AS we have been depending to a
large extent upon Europe for many
of the things which we ought to have |
made at home, so, too, to a large ex-
tent have American people who have
seen but little of their own country
1ocked to Europe. 1t is time now for
a general campaign throughout the
entire country to interest these people
il visiting the South.
In that section they can find every
variety of climate, from that of the
high mountains to that of the Gulf and
South Atlantic coast.
The railroads are hard pressed by
business conditions and by the rigid
legislation, often most unwise, but in
some was it ought to be possible for
them to make their plans for more
active work than ever before to turn
the movement of population south
ward this winter. Already Western
railroads are beginning their cam
paign. They are already appealing to
the tourists who have heretofore gone
to Europe to visit the West and Pacific
coast.
Southern business interests gener-
ally cannot afford to permit any fall
ing off or breaking down OF. the win
ter southwark tide of travel. On the
contrary they must do all in their
power Immediately and on a very
broad scale to keep the tide running
South and to increase it's volume.
Every resort place in the South ought
to make a special effort to develop
this tourist travel, and every news
paper in the South ought to take up
this campaign and help it on in every
way possible.