Taiwan is very well-positioned to further develop its world-acclaimed yacht industry, and this would also attract foreign tourism, Executive Yuan Spokesperson Sun Lih-chyun stated today.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah today convened an ad hoc meeting to discuss yacht-industry development policies in depth with officials from relevant agencies, such as the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Council of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Administration and Ministry of the Interior.
Jiang tasked Minister without Portfolio Yang Chiu-hsing to take stock of comprehensive information on the yacht business and to formulate suggestions concerning the supply and demand sides of the industry, especially with regard to setting up ports for yacht docking. As to whether new ports should be created, the government will conduct a scrupulous assessment taking into consideration hinterland demand and factors for port development. Only by doing so could foreign yachts be attracted to dock in Taiwan and usher in tourism, the premier said.
The spokesperson reported that the meeting chiefly focused on two major areas: yacht industry manufacturing production and tourism. Taiwan's industrial chain for yachts is comprehensive and currently ranks fifth in the world; moreover, it has an ample clientele and is very well-suited for further development. The government has been vigorously promoting six major emerging industries, one of which is tourism, and the yacht business can be promoted alongside that industry.
The periodical yacht activities organized by both the government and the private sector are of great importance, Sun added. For instance, the 2014 Taiwan International Boat Show held early this month, which received wide acclaim from both the exhibitors and buyers, was funded by the central government and co-organized by the Kaohsiung City Government. The show attracted about 2,000 foreign buyers with onsite deals for 32 yachts and generated NT$1 billion (US$33 million) in business opportunities.
As for the question of whether to continue levying a luxury tax on yachts, the participants in today's meeting believe there is room for discussion of this issue, and the government will take into consideration both the principle of fairness and promotion of the industry's development, the spokesperson said. The Ministry of Finance and other related agencies will delve further into the issue; however, the law is likely to be relaxed when undergoing revision, he predicted.