To demonstrate the government's determination to bolster tourism, Premier Mao Chi-kuo today visited the 2015 Taipei International Travel Fair (Taipei ITF 2015) at the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC).
The Taipei ITF, which is in its 29th year and 23rd term, is the largest travel fair in Asia and is well-known throughout Asia and the world, Mao said at TWTC Hall 1.
Taiwan's tourism has made great strides, particularly over the past seven years, the premier remarked. Visitors to Taiwan have been increasing by one million every year, and it is estimated that this year the number of travelers to Taiwan will break the 10 million mark. Meanwhile, citizens going overseas for tourism reached 11 million in 2014. These figures indicate Taiwan has indeed become a major tourism nation.
Taiwan's international attractions are multifaceted, Mao pointed out. The island's selling points include the National Palace Museum, gourmet foods and ubiquitous WiFi. Even its bicycle riding is globally renowned. For example, the Taiwan KOM (King of Mountain) Challenge is one of the world's five major arduous cycling races and is well-known internationally; every year it attracts Olympic-level athletes. The route for the Taiwan KOM Challenge 2015, held at the end of October, started at Hualien's Chishingtan Beach and extended all the way to Provincial Highway No. 14A's highest point, in Wuling.
The premier pointed out that some 350,000 visitors are expected to visit the Taipei ITF 2015. A major feature of this year's ITF is its coordination with the consumption-boosting program recently brought out by the Executive Yuan. In cooperation with the domestic tourism industry, the Tourism Bureau has provided a diverse array of subsidies, incentives, and discounted packaged tours, encompassing domestic tourist accommodation, theme parks, 10 major exquisite bus tour routes, high-speed rail packaged tours, and the Taiwan Railways TR-PASS. It is hoped that through the excellent Taipei ITF platform, the domestic tourism industry will accrue greater growth momentum and a high-quality tourism environment will be instituted, thus ushering in a multiplier effect for domestic tourism to bolster the overall economy.
The MOTC stated that since 2008, visitors to Taiwan have increased by more than one million per year, reaching 9.91 million in 2014. Tourism revenues increased from NT$187.1 billion (US$5.7 billion) in 2008 to NT$443.8 billion (US$13.53 billion) in 2014, a growth of 2.3 times. Global media have highly commended Taiwan's tourism charms. For example, CNN reported Taiwan has the best gourmet food in the world and is the second safest nation globally in terms of tourism, trailing only Japan.