Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-07-28
BY JOHN SHERWOOD
Star Staff Writer


Our national parks, Disney
land, and cowboys and Indians
are among the big attractions
for the overseas visitor, Volt
Gilmore, director of the United
States Travel Service, said yes
terday.
Comparing the first six
months of 1861 when the trav-
ell service was organized) with
the same period of 1868, travel
from overseas to this country
jumped 49.2 per cent, Mr.. Gill
more said in q copyrighted in
terview with The Washington
the Detroit News, Newark
News, and the st. Louis Post
Dispatch.
He said the travel service
apparently has helped cut into
the dollar outflow, although
foreign travel for Americans Is
increasing all the time. In 1852,
for instance, the travel dollar
represented two-thirds of the
$2.4 billion deficit.
Distracted BY Noise
Mr.. Gilmore noted that for
eign visitors seem "astonished"
at the poor housekeeping in
our cities and are sometimes
distracted by the noise and
hustle.
On the other hand, they
praise the hospitality, our ma
tional wonders and parks and
supermarkets. San Francisco is
the city they want most to
visit again.
The European does not spend
as much money here as does
the American going abroad,
but there are better travel bar
gains in this country, accord
ting to Mr.. Gilmore.
He mentioned the 500 99-day
bus travel package and an auto
mobile firm that is preparing a
bargain package with a motel
chain to provide transportation
and lodging.
Text Of Interview
Following is the transcript of
the interview:
@. Mr.. Gilmore, your United
States Travel Service has been
in existence now for almost two
years with the twin hope of
bringing more people into this
country to spend their money,
and winning new friends for the
United States. How are you
doing?
A. We are very proud Of the
results. In the first six months
of 1868, travel from overseas
to the United States is up 49.2
per cent over the six months
of 1861 which Immediately pre-
coded the establishment Of
USTS.
@. How does that translate
into numbers Of visitors here?
A. In the first six months Of
1868, this meant 33l, 464 over
seas visitors. The average Wis
ltor stays an average of II days
And spends $375 over and above
the cost Of his transportation
here and back.
- Europeans Spend Less
20. Does the European spend
more over here than the Ameri-
can does when he goes to
Elrope2
"A. No, he does not. Interest
i1gly enough, we are finding
that through private enterprise
the visitor is getting better
travel bargains here than the
United States visitor gets in
other countries.
: There have been incredible
rates offered in this country to
the visitor from abroad. To cite
examples, the 500 99-day I'M
limited travel package that the
two major bus companies are
offering; a similar 30-day offer
by some local airlines; the ma
jor hotel chain that offers a
$6-a-day lodging, two persons
to a room.
Break-Even Point
@. Has your program had a
good effect on the balance Of
payments problem?
A. It has. Americans are
travelling abroad at an ever
increasing rate. Without such
q program, we would have an
even more critical problem in
connection with the dollar out
flow. Except for foreign aid and
military spending abroad, the
United States travel dollar rep
resents the greatest drain we
have. In 1862 it represented
two-thirds of the $2.4 billion
deficit.
@. The travel imbalance was
STA billion. Do you anticipate a
time In the future when we
might break even?
A. We hope for the day, but
we don't see 1t. |
Some knowledgeable econo-
mists say that in the next 2
decades travel is going to be
the worlds biggest business.