Aside from assisting tourism bright spots to operate in self-sufficiency, the government will continue to help them incorporate scenic and humanistic characteristics so as to lay a strong foundation for sustainable development, Premier Mao Chi-kuo stated at the Cabinet meeting today.
A high-quality tourism environment is a goal the government has been striving for, Mao emphasized.
The premier made these remarks after a briefing on international tourism as a part of local industrial development.
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has used subsidies and capitalized on private-sector capital and human resources to usher in tourism industry development, attracting tourists and revenue, the premier pointed out. The MOTC program's highlights lie in integrating regional resources and characteristics, packaging them into international and diversified tourism products through assistance in transportation, accommodation and dining, as well as employing other peripheral complementary measures. The premier affirmed the program's outstanding results.
The number of tourist arrivals is a major indicator of tourism industry development, the premier pointed out. However, growth in volume should not be the only consideration. Although it is expected that the number of international tourists visiting Taiwan this year will break the 10 million mark, considerations must also be paid to the overall accommodation of the tourism environment, and tourism quality must be enhanced so that international travelers to Taiwan will experience refined and exquisite tours.
The MOTC stated the program collaborated with private organizations, incorporating government funding as well as regional and private-sector resources to uncover and integrate local culture and tourism resources that have potential to attract international travelers. By assisting operators and developing products, packaging, publicizing and marketing means, these bright spots have been turned into tourism products to further generate value for local industries.
The MOTC stated that since the program's inception, it has launched seven bright spot plans in two batches, including northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan as well as cross-regional plans. It has invested NT$633 million (US$20.3 million), with NT$305 million (US$9.8 million) from central government subsidies and NT$328 million (US$10.5 million) from the private sector.
As of the end of 2014, these bright spots have attracted 220,000 international tourists, bringing economic benefits exceeding NT$1.46 billion (US$46.9 million). In addition, the program has integrated and assisted more than 335 tourism operators, and formulated more than 12 tourist itineraries that have become international tourist attractions. More than 500 publicity-related activities have also been conducted.