Evening star., 1940-09-29

east coast Of South America, and
Pam -American-Grace Always, which
completes the link from the Panama
Canal, over the west coast of South
America to Buenos Aires, will in
augurate . weekly series of six spe-
cial itineraries" beginning October
2, three tourist cruises" destined to
the Latin American capitals on each
coast.
Ship Lines Lay Plans.
simultaneously. the Grace Line
and American Republics Line, the
principal United States steamer
services to the southern continent,
will shortly have under way addi-
tional tourist-travel plans covering
these same territories to encourage
a greater volume Of sea-borne travel.
The combination of two services,
air and sea. In the opinion of ON
cials, will provide attractive travel
media for all classes of tourists, with
trips ranging from IL days by air to
80 days by steamer.
Considered one of the most i'm
portant and practical steps toward
making good neighbors" of the
American republics, the planned
stimulation of inter-America travel
will effect a diversion Of tourist
funds to these southern countries.
The diversion Is counted upon to
supply an important element of ex-
change with which to stimulate
greater flow Of economic defense"
trade between the sister republics
Of the Western Hemisphere.
Since the outbreak Of hostilities
in Europe barred the main channels
OF American tourist travel, Govern
ment agencies In washington, in
Guiding the United States Travel
Bureau Of the Department of In
terror, the Pan American Union and
the unofficial Committee on Pan
American Travel have been actively
at work with the principal trans
portation companies operating to
Latin America on development of
plans to stimulate both tourist and
business travel southwark.
These agencies estimate that dur
ing normal years some 500 900 Amer
leans travel to foreign countries, OF
which less than per cent in tourist
classifications have gone to the
South American republics, up to the
outbreak of the European war. These
estimates are exclusive of the Amer
lean travel to Canada and motor
traffic to Mexico.
Travel Southwark Gains.
During the current year. passenger
traffic by air and sea to Latin Amer
lea has mounted steadily. Recent
Inauguration of additional schedules
and a reduction in travel time to
81 days by way of either coast to
Beaunos Aires is expected to result
in sharp stimulation Of travel. par
ticularly among those whose time is
limited to two or three weeks during
the vacation periods.
Current air schedules provide a
seven-day circuit of the South
American continent as compared
with nearly two months formerly
required by surface for the same
trip. Steamship companies, likewise.
through the arrangement of tours
stopping at comparatively nearby
ports. will offer tourist trips of two
and three weeks as we'll as the five
and six week itineraries for the
more distant South American
countries.
The agencies cooperating on the
travel American" program report
that similar efforts to direct traffic
northward from these far South
American countries are already pro-
ducing effective results Aside from
the generally sympathetic reception
given the recently instituted new
and faster transport services be-
tween North and South America. a
number Of Latin American govern
ments have already taken steps to
simplify passport and visa require
ments for special application to
American citizens travelling as
tourists.
Plays Roll in Commerce.
Both Government and unoffcial
agencies which have made a close
study of pan-American relations,
specially during the past year, con-
slider the establishment of an Amer
ican axis" for travel as an important
corollary to the expected expansion
of commerce between the American
republics which. encouraged now
because of war conditions, is ex-
pected to form basis for a new
trade order after the present Euro
pean conflict.
The practical effect of diverting
sizable sums expended by travellers
will in many cases provide the ex-
change necessary to finance i'm
portant trade expansion.
No estimate of American travel
spending power in Latin America is
available at present.