The Republican journal., 1922-01-12


to Establish Bureau and Promote
Recreational ana Tourist Traffic
In order 10 meet the competition OF
other states. the Maine Automobile
Association and the Maine Hotel As
sociatiOn are Immediately TO inaugu-
rate a campaign for the raising OF
fund of not less than 100000 for the
purpose of establishing within the
State. probably at Portland, as the
largest city and natural gateway,
a fully equipped information bureau
devoted TO the work of handling rec
reation and tourist business informa-
ton in order to increase and develop
this important traffic into Maine
In addition. it is intended to con
duct a national advertising campaign
for the purpose of promoting the
recreat onal and tourist traffic. and to
boom the State as whole Other
uses are to be made of the fund,
these to be determined by the board
of directors having il in charge.
A corporation, called the Maine
Publicity Bureau, will be Immediately
organized and incorporated under the
laws of the State to conduct this bust
ness. and it is proposed to make the
Information bureau one of the best
equipped in the country. II will han
die nothing but Maine information,
and will do nothing but boost the
State and advert Sc its resources and
attractions. 1t is planned to have
it located in the busiest section OF
the City. and to be open throughout
the entire year
The advertising CAMPAIGN. which
will be conducted by the bureau. will
be for the purpo-3 of developing
Maine as a whole - natural attrac
tions. its wonderful scenery, its ad-
vantages as an all-the-year round re
sort. for fishing, for hunting, for Sum
mer tourists and for Winter sports.
and no particular section will be spe
cially exploited, Or will any partic
ular line of business be given any spe-
cial preference.
Maine is losing one II its grea test f.
nancial assets, its sum mer recreattonal
and tourist business. Estimated to
bring into the State annually not less
than s35 100000. practically all money
which would not otherwise come here.
it benefits every line OF business, from
the farmer down to the bootblack on
the city streets 1t may easily be
understood that II 600,o00 or 100000
strangers come to Maine every Sum-
mer that they must spend money and
immense sums of it. certain per-
centage OF this. OF course goes to the
hotels. but the greatest amount goes
to the farmers and the others who
produce the things to eat; to the
stores who furnish goods to the
travellers. cottagers. and hotels: to the
transportation ompanies who bring
this great number of people to Maine:
to the garages and other places who
take care OF the automobile end OF
the traffic; to the restaurants, souve
mir soda, candy and other stores, all
Of which get their share of this i'm
mense sum OF money
Other states have discovered that
the tourist traffic is one of the best
paying industries they can have, and
have inaugurated immense advertis-
ing campaigns costing hundreds of
thousands of dollars in order to get
this business headed their way. The
South. the West, the Rocky Mountain
region the Middle Atlantic and Appa-
lachian Mountain States. as well as
the other New England States have
awakened to its value and are doing
everything possible to get 1t.
Maine has done nothing along this
line. and that is the reason the Maine
Automobile Association and the Maine
Hotel Association have united forces
for the establishment of this publicity
and information bureau, and are to
associate with them the transporta-
ton companies and every line of busi-
ness in the State, in order to stop this
traffic from leaving Maine before II
is too late.
The leading men of the State are
behind the movement, and intend TO
push it through to a successful con-
clusion.
In a statement to the public con-
cerning the purposes of the Maine
Publicity Bureau. prepared by the
officials OF the Maine Automobile AS
sociation and the Maine Hotel ASso-
citation, they say:
There is a growing understanding tnat
the State Of Maine has been very IN
different on the subject of properly ad-
vertising its attractions as vacation
state Other localities with at least nc
more than our natural attractions have
done much more to increase the tourist
business in their sections. Maine must
joii. the ranks Of the go getters' and get
off the waiting list.
result OF earnest effort by organizations
and individuals 1t includes now the
Maine Hotel Association the Maine Auto
mobile Association. and the transporta-
tion companies. 1t is proposed TO take
In business men throughout the State Tor
the following definite purpose: To sell
to individuals and corporations member
ship certificates. the minimum being wa
per unit
THE Maine Publicity Bureau Is to be
Incorporated. and the conditions In the
certificate or contract will be that sub
scriber agrees to join and purchase foi
1922, 23 and "a each year. the number
of twenty-five dollar units set against
his name.
''The Maine publicity bureau agrees
that the money so received shall be ex-
pended. generally speaking. as follows
First to establish a Bureau of Informa
tion in the City of Portland. Maine
where all inquiries and correspondence
will be taken care of, The Office to con-
tain maps. folders and all desirable
printed matter with a sufficient clerical
force on hand at all times to attend te
the business II is expected during the
Summer months that a branch OF this
informal ton bureau will be established
at the entrance to the State through
Kittery. and at other what might b.
called. ports OF entrance to the State
These branches will all work in connec
ton with the home Office in Portland
The larger portion OF the money will be
used for advertising. TO increase the
tourist business throughout the entir,