Medical tourism providers are pushing for a more integrated strategy to lure potential customers from China as the effect of a policy that allows independent Chinese travelers to visit the country has so far been limited.
Sammy Yen, general manager of Lion Travel’s medical tourism unit, said the travel industry has been trying to develop more comprehensive medical tourism packages through closer cooperation to win over high-end customers because a business model based on quantity is not likely to work.
“We used to have high hopes for the free independent traveler [FIT] program,” he said. “But we have overestimated its benefits.”
Yen was referring to a policy that began in June last year, when Taiwan opened its doors to tourists from certain Chinese cities to visit Taiwan without having to join a tour group or be accompanied by a tour guide.
While some healthcare institutions that provide comprehensive physical checkups had expected the FIT program to bring them at least 3,000 Chinese visitors seeking medical services last year, Yen said the actual number was about 1,500.
According to statistics from the National Immigration Agency, 30,281 Chinese visitors came through the program from June to December last year, far short of the industry’s expectations, since the quota was set to allow up to 500 visitors per day. As a result, Yen and fellow medical tourism providers said they would have to launch more upscale services to establish the brand and publicize what they have on offer.
Meanwhile, Yen said the industry has also been working much more closely with government agencies, discussing ways to improve Taiwan’s competitiveness in the field.
“We don’t want to see the Council of Agriculture promoting their organic food here and the Tourism Bureau celebrating a hot spring festival there,” Yen said. “We want the government to send an integrated message that Taiwan is one of the best travel destinations to heal your body and soul.”
The first two F-16V Bock 70 jets purchased from the US are expected to arrive in Taiwan around Double Ten National Day, which is on Oct. 10, a military source said yesterday. Of the 66 F-16V Block 70 jets purchased from the US, the first completed production in March, the source said, adding that since then three jets have been produced per month. Although there were reports of engine defects, the issue has been resolved, they said. After the jets arrive in Taiwan, they must first pass testing by the air force before they would officially become Taiwan’s property, they said. The air force
The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) yesterday said it had deployed patrol vessels to expel a China Coast Guard ship and a Chinese fishing boat near Pratas Island (Dongsha Island, 東沙群島) in the South China Sea. The China Coast Guard vessel was 28 nautical miles (52km) northeast of Pratas at 6:15am on Thursday, approaching the island’s restricted waters, which extend 24 nautical miles from its shoreline, the CGA’s Dongsha-Nansha Branch said in a statement. The Tainan, a 2,000-tonne cutter, was deployed by the CGA to shadow the Chinese ship, which left the area at 2:39pm on Friday, the statement said. At 6:31pm on Friday,
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, would pose a steep challenge to Taiwan’s ability to defend itself against a full-scale invasion, a defense expert said yesterday. Institute of National Defense and Security Research analyst Chieh Chung (揭仲) made the comment hours after the PLAN confirmed the carrier recently passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct “scientific research tests and training missions” in the South China Sea. China has two carriers in operation — the Liaoning and the Shandong — with the Fujian undergoing sea trials. Although the PLAN needs time to train the Fujian’s air wing and
STRIKE: Some travel agencies in Taiwan said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group tours to the country were proceeding as planned A planned strike by airport personnel in South Korea has not affected group tours to the country from Taiwan, travel agencies said yesterday. They added that they were closely monitoring the situation. Personnel at 15 airports, including Seoul’s Incheon and Gimpo airports, are to go on strike. They announced at a news conference on Tuesday that the strike would begin on Friday next week and continue until the Mid-Autumn Festival next month. Some travel agencies in Taiwan, including Cola Tour, Lion Travel, SET Tour and ezTravel, said that they were aware of the situation in South Korea, and that group
RSS