| OCR Text |
Show where they got a chance to meet typical Logan citizens. French-speaking townsfolk also were scattered throughout the group to act as interpreters so the visitors 'could ask questions. The Logan people treated th'jir French friends to a picnic, marsh-mallow marsh-mallow roast, square dance and entertainment long into the evening. even-ing. The next morning, on the day of departure, three residents, including includ-ing the mayor, turned up at 6 a.m. at the motel to help load baggage and wish the Frenchmen farewell, and as parting gifts they gave the visitors baskets of Utah fruit. Concerning the French tourists' visit to Logan, Travel Agent magazine mag-azine said: "Not only did the French receive a favorable impression of American CACHE VALLEY GAINS NATIONAL PUBLICITY hospitality but they also saw that not everyone lives in penthouses and rides in Cadillacs. So firm were the friendships made in Logan, that addresses were exchanged and future fu-ture correspondence- promised." Mr. Cannon recalled many other examples of Utah hospitality, too numerous to mention, which in the past have left good impressions on visitors. "Most Utah towns make it a point to give visitor a helping hand," the council director added. "Friendliness does more to promote our state than any other thing." Individuals can also do a lot to display Utah hospitality. A good example of this is the service station sta-tion operator in Panguitch who offered to buy the gas for an out-of out-of state customer if he would take the time to visit Bryce Canyon. "1 you feel that strongly about it, I'd better go over and see this Bryce Canyon," said the motorists. Later, after visiting this great National park, the out-of-stater returned re-turned and thanked the service station sta-tion operator for sending him "to one of the most beautiful places on earth." "What better promotion can you ask fqj than that? Mr. Cannon asked. A perfect example of how cheerful cheer-ful hospitality can pay rich rewards for the travel industry was enacted in Logan, Utah, during the recent summer tourist season. Thirty-four French tourists, in Utah on a "Visit USA" tour, stopped stop-ped off in Logan for two days last August. They were treated so kindly kind-ly by Logan townspeople it now has become known that Utah was the highlight of the group's entire 30-day, 8,000-mile trip across America. Am-erica. As an aftermath to the Frenchmen' French-men' Logan visit, Utah hospitality gained national publicity on CBS-TV's CBS-TV's "Eye Witness" program and in Travel Agent Magazine, a publication publi-cation circulated throughout the U. S. travel industry. The Frenchmen, plagued by difficulties dif-ficulties with hotel accommodations, travel mix-ups and a host of inhospitable inhos-pitable persons on the first legs of their journey, arrived in Logan tired, tir-ed, disgusted and just a little "peeved" "peev-ed" with America. But the warm reception that Logan Lo-gan gave the Europeans not only changed their attitude but created a lasting friendship between the group and the United States, especially es-pecially Utah. What did Logan do to "save the day" for the Frenchmen? How did they entertain their guests and find their way into their hearts? "The people of Logan, acting as a community, put forth just a little extra effort to make the French tourists feel at home," said D. James Jam-es Cannon, director of the Utah Tourist and Publicity Council. "They put into excellent use that good old Utah hospitality we're always al-ways hearing about." When B. D. Wolsky, president of American Travel Abroad, wrote Mrs. E. Bentley Mitchell of Logan's Mitchell Motel for accommodations the motel owner saw an opportunity opportu-nity for Logan to display its hospitality. hos-pitality. She asked prominent citizens citi-zens for help, and a committee was formed to entertain the Frenchmen. When the tourists arrived, they were greeted by a delegation of citizens headed by Mayor Theral Bishop. In a day jammed with things to do, the Frenchmen, among other things, were received by the president presi-dent of Utah State University, were treated to a display of American football by local students, were conducted on a iour of the Mormon Temple in Logan, and were accepted accept-ed as guests in many local homes |
