The Tourism Administration plans to boost tourism by improving the quality of tourist sites and using celebrity endorsements to change Taiwan’s international image, Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said in an interview published yesterday.
Taiwan has lots of beautiful nature sites and 268 magnificent mountains that are at least 3,000m tall — the highest density in Asia — along with convenient railways, hiking trails and cycle paths, Li said in an interview with the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times).
While there are many cultural sites for tourists to explore, Taiwan is also a “nation of gourmet food,” where many different places, not just one city, are dotted with local culinary delights, he said.
Photo: Huang Chun-hsuan, Taipei Times
Foreign food shows are encouraged to visit Taiwan and shoot programs about local foods to help attract more tourists, Li said.
For example, the agency has assisted the Japanese drama Kodoku no Gurume (The Solitary Gourmet) in shooting scenes of tasty foods in Taiwan, he said, adding that he had seen another Japanese TV program comedically introduce distinctive Taiwanese foods, making them look toothsome.
The agency would also invite celebrities from Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries to endorse and help promote Taiwan as an attractive tourist destination in their countries, Li said.
Affected by an earthquake in Hualien County in April, Typhoon Gaemi last month and China’s military drills around Taiwan recently, Taiwan’s global image on overseas news media has become one of a place stricken by natural disasters and on the brink of war, he said.
Japanese tourists used to account for the majority of Taiwan’s inbound travelers, but the depreciation of the yen has also reduced the number of tourists from Japan, Li said.
Therefore, it is important to correct and promote Taiwan’s international image by placing advertisements at influential platforms, such as the BBC and CNN, he added.
Tourism in Hualien and Taitung counties slumped after the earthquake in April and the occupation rate of local hotels declined to about 10 percent, a huge difference compared with the national average of 40 percent, Li said.
Although the central government has boosted the occupation rate to 24 percent via an accommodation subsidy program, many travelers canceled their reservations after the typhoon cut off transportation, he said, adding that it is necessary to support the tourism industry during these hardships.
The key to improving the tourism industry’s performance is in improving the overall experience for tourists, Li said.
The government should finance popular tourist destinations such as the northeast coast, the East Rift Valley, Kenting and Alishan Forest Railway, and enhance tourism quality such as renovating the waiting area for travelers bound for Siaoliouciou Island (小琉球) by boat, he said.
Li also said the agency has established 18 “tourism circles” with each of its National Scenic Area Administrations in collaboration with local tourism bureaus, to improve existing tourist attractions.
The agency aims to map out travel routes to revel in gourmet foods and tourist spots that have local features and cultural significance, he said.
Meanwhile, Li said a plan to alter the ticket prices of Taiwan Railway Corp would be formulated by the end of next month, as the prices have remained the same for 29 years.
“The draft plan would be sent to the Executive Yuan for review next month and is expected to be finalized by the end of this year,” he said.
Relative price change would decrease as the distance lengthens, while short-distance travelers would still access the benefits of the TPass monthly transit card and therefore would not be much affected, Li added.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as