Evening star., 1961-06-28
BY MARY McGRORY
star Staff Writer

EAAA ONCA VIC WOA4NAg NAAO OAA4VCA
States Is known as = wonderful
place to live in, but not 81
great to visit. -.
So while our immigration
quotas are eversubscribed II
some countries for the next II
years. the tourists coming t.
our shores number just about
half those Americans whC
swarm abroad every year.
A slender, enthusiastic NORTH
Carolinian, who will be named
head Of the United States
Travel Service by President
Kennedy tomorrow. hopes tt
change all that. Volt Gilmore
q. already is working away
in the Commerce Department
trying with what he calls "gen.
tie persuasion" to convert
Americans from q Nation Of
guests to a Nation of hosts.
The goal Of the brand-nev
United States Travel Service
which has been given q So mil
lion budget by Congress, is to
double the number of non-
American tourists In the next
four years.
Faces missionary" Work
Mr.. Gilmore, q former inn
keeper, whose unusual philos-
ophy is "the guest is absolutely
right" realizes that he must
do missionary work both here
and abroad.
He must convince Europeans
that the extra money It takes
to get here will be money well
spent. He also must convince
them that the welcome mat is
out.
Here. his work will be to edu-
cate customs officers, cab driv-
ers, hotel Staffs and gas sta
ton attendants in the art Of
hospitality.
Whatever the outcome Of his
Establishments to visitors, he
may. If present plans succeed,
make this country pleasanter
for the residents.
He is lending enthusiastic
support to hotel associations
which run courtesy schools"
where clerks, bellboys, cham
bermaids and walters are in
Structed in the fine points Of
making the visitor feel at home.
Mr.. Gilmore ruefully admits
that American service cannot
compare with the Swamping
Solicitude Of Italian hotel
Staffs.
THE unwillingneSs Of Ameri-
cans to have any humbleness
is problem. Over there, they
have real pride in service, and
sometimes think we've made
q study Of how to dust people
off"
The Word Is Out: Be Helpful
Already the word has gone
out to American consular and
embassy staffs all over the
world to make the formalitieS
of applying fog visas as. pain
less as possible. In the past |
would-be visitors were enraged
or insulted by the questions
put to them on official forms.
Since February, however, o |
short form for temporary visi-
tors, which has deleted such
inquiries as whether o woman
was coming here "for immoral
purposes" has been in use.
Mr.. Gilmore. who has been
functioning as q consultant |
pending his confirmation by
the Senate, diSmisses the In
different reputation enjoyed by
our cuisine as q critical factor
in our failure to attract
tourists.
lived in England for four
years, and you certainly can't
say anything for their cook
ing" he says firmly. 'Yet they
get 81 per cent of Europe's
tourist trade. The problem is
to get them here. even though
they know they'll get better
food In France, better service
in Italy and better sights in
England"
Pushes Excursion Plans
By way Of inducement, Mr..
Gilmore is working towards
setting up excursion rates, unit
tours and other Establishments.
Two buslines already have an
nounced "90 days for 500 in
the United States"
Travel Service agencies will
be set up in London; Paris,
Frankfort, Caracas, Sidney and
Tokyo. Representatives speak
ing the language Of the coun-
try will explain low-cost tours,
historical attractions and dis
tribute booklets about eco
nomic travel.
Private business incidentally,
is enthusiastic about the Gov
ernment's entry into the travel
agency world, h
Mr.. Gilmore, q onetime
Mayor Of Southern Pines, can
see that high-level concern for
all the nicetieS Of welcoming
guests could make the
difference.
Grass Roots Enthusiastic
For instance, he said, "if
Mr.. Hodges (Secretary of Com
merce) says to Mr.. Dillon (Sec-
retary of the Treasury, One
of your customs men in Homo
lulu is insulting every third
passenger something can be
done about it right away.
The grass roots response to -