The government is committed to unlocking Taiwan’s rich tourism potential by diversifying visitor sources, upgrading facilities, and encouraging in-depth tours emphasizing the local characteristics of each region, according to Premier Lai Ching-te July 3.
 
To raise the country’s global tourism visibility, the government aims to create a national brand spotlighting Taiwan’s vibrant cultural attractions, food and natural environments, Lai said. Various forms of financial and technical assistance are also being provided to local authorities to ensure every region benefits from industry promotion measures, he added.
 
According to the premier, visitor numbers top 10 million annually, with this figure expected to increase going forward. Since diversification holds the key to sustainable tourism development, the government is working to entice more travelers from Europe, Northeast Asia and North and South America, and eyeing substantial future growth from emerging markets in Southeast Asia under the New Southbound Policy, he said.
 
A key plank in the government’s national development strategy, the NSP seeks to enhance Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
 
In a statement released the following day, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, which oversees the Tourism Bureau, said that the government has enacted a variety of measures in recent years to attract visitors from NSP target countries. Related efforts include easing visa regulations as well as fostering a Muslim-friendly travel environment through promoting halal certification and installing prayer rooms at major transportation hubs.
 
According to the MOTC, these efforts are already bearing fruit, with visitor numbers increasing 17.32 percent year on year to 1.06 million in 2017. Tourists from NSP target countries stayed for an average of 8.1 days and spent US$152.25 per day, the ministry said, adding that industry revenues from these markets totaled NT$2.8 billion (US$92.2 million) last year.
 
Tourism from NSP target countries is projected to maintain this strong growth momentum on the back of dedicated marketing campaigns and wide-ranging government programs to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, the MOTC said. (KWS-E)