Taiwan's tourism reached a new milestone by welcoming 8 million international visitors in 2013, showing that the government's longstanding efforts to brand Taiwan tourism has borne fruit, Premier Jiang Yi-huah said at the weekly Cabinet meeting today.
Jiang later said in a press conference celebrating the milestone that Taiwan has every potential of becoming a top international destination, but that it needed to define its own unique character, with every citizen adding to the experience. It is not just a lofty ideal but a practical issue to be contemplated if Taiwan is to transform its tourism industry and create a new style.
The 8 million mark was reached when Japanese tourist Aya Otome landed in Taiwan on the afternoon of December 31, 2013 for her honeymoon. This milestone had not been easy to come by, the premier said. In the past, annual visitors to the island numbered only around 3 million, but that figure has grown significantly since Taiwan launched a focused tourism campaign in 2008. Although the original estimate for 2013 was 7.8 million visitors, the government was able to surpass that figure by easing regulations, adding more personnel and upgrading information systems.
Premier Jiang said years of work by citizens and government to build Taiwan's reputation abroad has been paying off. Taiwan's cuisine, scenery and cycling expeditions have been featured on international outlets such as CNN, while the country's safety, hospitality and convenience have made it a top backpacking recommendation in Japanese travel magazines. The premier attributed this success to the efforts of the Tourism Bureau and other agencies.
Along with the 8 million visitors, international tourism revenue also broke NT$370 billion (US$12.33 billion) last year. However, Premier Jiang said, government agencies cannot be satisfied with this but should continue endeavoring to attract more tourists.
As for whether Taiwan will see 9 million visitors in 2014, Jiang said it will no longer be enough to depend on delicious food, beautiful scenery and warm hospitality. The Tourism Bureau is constantly working on new draws such as round-the-island cycling tours, while the Ministry of Health and Welfare is promoting "medical tourism" that offers world-class medical services to tourists seeking health checkups or cosmetic procedures while visiting Taiwan. The Ministry of Culture is also promoting and developing tourism based on Taiwan's cultural and creative industries. Premier Jiang encouraged all agencies to use their resources to grow the tourism industry together and improve Taiwan's international visibility.
To reach the 9 million mark, all ministries must to come up with new tourism ideas and put them into policies, Jiang said. It is not just a numbers game, Jiang said, but a means of developing industries that will improve Taiwan's quality of life in the future. If Taiwan wants to move away from processing-intensive industries, it must consider tourism as one of the key strategies. Tourism is not only one of the six emerging industries but one that can change attitudes and quality of life, drive economic growth and create job opportunities.