Enforcement of new camping measures and a need to clarify overlapping governmental jurisdictions were among the recommendations made by tour operators and lawmakers on Thursday at a public hearing on domestic tourism at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
There are 1,985 camp sites nationwide, but only 166, or less than 10 percent, have been granted operating licenses by a local government agency, officials said, citing Ministry of Transportation and Communications data.
Meanwhile, ministry surveys found that camp sites were in areas zoned for different uses, with some in areas approved for Boy and Girl Scout troops, at main tourism attractions, in national parks, national scenic areas, forest preserves, leisure farms and protected watershed areas.
Photo: Tsai Cheng-min, Taipei Times
“Located in areas designated for various uses, the camp sites also fall under the jurisdiction of different government agencies, resulting in contrasting police enforcement and upholding of the law,” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) said.
Noting the rising popularity of mountain climbing and hiking amid the COVID-19 pandemic, DPP Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純) said that the ministry has the responsibility to regulate camp sites.
The hearing was attended by representatives of a camping industry alliance and campground operators, who said that new regulations are needed, as more than 70 percent of camp sites are in areas that have been designated by local governments as farmland, pastures and forestry preserves.
Some sites lack basic amenities, they said, adding that they need infrastructure and facilities.
One operator said he would like to apply for a license, but was unsure which agency to go to for the inspection and approval process.
It was agreed at the hearing that the ministry, which oversees the Tourism Bureau, should have jurisdiction over all camp sites, except for those designated for educational uses, which fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education.
Chen Ying-jung (陳盈蓉), head of the Executive Yuan’s Department of Transportation, the Environment and Natural Resources, said that a report on regulating the nation’s camp sites would be presented to Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) and other Cabinet members, who would convene to draft policies to address the issue of unlicensed camp sites.
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