Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-10-16
1mportGates
Open Wider
Continued From Page C-1.)

OF Europe, samples OF the goods
offered for sale are displayed by
responsible representatives of the
seller authorized to conclude sales
arrangements with the accredited
buyers who make up the permit
ted attendance at the fair.
In addition to encouraging
American concerns to participate
in international trade fairs
abroad. the division has for some
time been active In encouraging
consideration of the possibilities
of creating such fairs in the Unit
ed States. Canada, however. in
1948 inaugurated this technique
Of trade promotion in the West
ern Hemisphere.
Several Plan Fairs
Already several American cities
have advanced plans for staging a
fair in the near future. It is
probable that at least one will
soon announce that it will provide
this type of additional market
place for both American and for
eign exhibitors in the fall of 1850.
Services to the import trade
would be incomplete if the needs
of travel, our greatest single i'm
port industry, were neglected. AL
ready larger in dollar volume than
our imports of sugar or coffee,
United States residents travel ex-
penditures abroad generate hun
dreds of millions of dollars yearly
in foreign-held dollar exchange.
Since it is the type of import.
which requires relatively little use
of material resources, it is one of
the fields in which import volume
probably has the greatest expan-
sion potential.
The Intelligence and Services
Division, whose efforts in this field
complement those of private en-
terprise, serves the important
travel trade by providing infor-
nation pertinent to such problems
as: How many Americans will
trayel? Where do they live?
What is their cultural, economic
and social background? How do
they prefer to travel? Where do
they want to go?
For Easier Travel
| In addition, the division scores
among its successful achievements
its work with international travel
organizations, in collaboration
with appropriate agencies of our
own government, for the elimina-
ton OF travel barriers, such as
the onerous visa requirements re-
Gently abandoned by most Euro
pean countries. It is also pres
emily working with shipping inter-
ests and the travel industry to
activate plans. for increased use
Of low-cost travel facilities and
for stimulation of 'round-the-year
travel to realize the full potential
OF oh-Season rates as an encour-
agement to increased travel by
moderate-income groups.
The division appraises its activ-
tiles for the stimulation of a
greater volume of United States
imports in terms Of their effec-
tive utilization by the thousands
of import traders in the day-to-
day conduct of their business. It
strives constantly therefore, both
in its direct contact with the
trading community and in its CO.
operative efforts with the Com
merce Departments field Offices,
who serve business throughout
the country. to shape its services
to meet the specific needs of the
businessman and to supply him
with the types Of information and
facilities he can best use in the
conduct of his business. For the
division is convinced that the true
measure Of the success Of its eff
forts is the degree to which it
helps the United States interna-
tional trader to help himself.