Imperial Valley press., 1940-02-01
BobSon Predicts
Biggest Vacation
Year in History

CuceS millions of dollars in taxes.
It is big and honorable business.
SIX-BILLION DOLLAR
INDUSTRY
Two weeks ago I nominated the
Machin .ry and Machine Tool BllSl-
ness as l9i0'S Industry OF the Year
The recreation trade Will not be tar
Lehind in performance, while its
prosperity Will benefit more people
than any other activity except farm
ing and retailing My guess is that
nearly SC. 900 O00 900 will be spent on
travel. recreation. and health build
ing. This will be gain OF halt u
million dollars over 1899 and may
even out run 1929 in volume. al
though not in dollars and cents.
For years. railroads. chambers OF
CONNIE, &c, and state commissions
have spent untold sums trying to
sell Americans the idea of seeing
America first l think the idea was
started by the late Edward Box in
the Ladies' Home Journal 1t was
always conceded to be good slogan.
but it remained for submarine at
tackS. air raius, and "BlitzkrlegS'
TO give the phrase real punch. An
nually. 100000 900 was spent abroad
by American globe -trotterS from
TienStin to Timbuctu. This year
half of this pre-War travel item will
be rung up on cash registers from
Halifax to Honolulu. See America
first" will this year be more than
G patriotic slogan.
"SOUTHWARD HO"
The winter resorts are the baro-
meter of this business. While the
current season has no more than
weighed anchor. glowing reports are
already scudding in from every bay
and inlet. Florida is booked up
heavier than in any season since
the boom The Gulf Coasters are
packing them in The Old South
west is hitting new records. Cali
fornia is welcoming a swarm of
frost bitten Northerners. With AT
iantic cruise travel down to Il quar-
ter of the normal level, Hawaii Is
ready to reap big tourist harvest.
II these reports sound too good TO
you to be true. look at the way
department stores are playing up
their Resort Shops. This winters
password is ".5outhward Hor'
The War is the Number One rea-
son that l am counting on to make
Americas 1910 vacation bill the
biggest ever Number Two reason
is our swelling national income.
1t has been trending up ever since
1888 and will hit new high-Water
mark, since the boom. in early 1910.
The S70,000,0 100000 figure for 1899
should stretch into SIS 900, 900 coo III
the coming twelve months. More
cash IN farmers pockets, more
money IN workers pay envelopes /
more dividends in investors ac-
counts, spell only one thing. More
spending on wholesome recreation. /
SPORT-LOVING NATION
Ihlrd reason why l predict a
recreation season is the
steady trend toward sports and trips i
For twenty years this tendency hae
oeen gathering momentum Even IN T
the darkest. drabbest years of the .
depression. the travel business did
comparatively we'll. The automobile.
OF course, is the moving spirit of
,iis trend, but it has been ably +
aided and abetted by the cruis,
people, the railroads, and our Ma
'ional Parks. More efficient ma
chlneS, shorter work days. more leis- +
l!re hourS, have done their part too
There also is fourth reason
which is fast becoming a factor.
Wise are those communities which
wake up to it. I refer to the North
ern summer resorts featuring snow
sports IN Winter: while the South
ern winter resorts are deyeloping
new Summer attractions This is
Il possibility never even dreamed
OF until few years ago. The
recent request from people of every
state made to the family of Edward
Box, to have his famous Tower in
Florida sing during July and Au-
gust, is an illustration OF this trend.
1929 TECHNIQUE GONE
Let us work to make this a con-
5tructivc movement such aG Mr.
Box himself would approve. Rates
and profits will not be equal to the
palmy days of l929,--bu who eX
poets them to be? The tourist in
1ustrE, like many another. does bet
Ter IN the long run from sound
policy of true service with low prices
and big volume than from the 1929
technique. Whether you
are a clerk in a Maine grocery store
or the owner Of an Arizona Motel
or Il skipper on a Florida fishing
boat or a oW-puncher on Wyom-
lng ranch-eet set for the healthieSt
and busiest vacation year you have