At today's Cabinet meeting, Premier Mao Chi-kuo stated that he expects the 2015 Taiwan Cycling Festival, which will be held from October 30 to November 22 this year, to become a highlight for Taiwan's international branding.
More than 100,000 people are expected to take part in this year's festival, which spans the whole island and involves 10 county and city governments, Mao noted. The organizers worked hand in hand with the Sports Administration of the Ministry of Education (MOE) to hold online voting for the 10 best cycling routes in Taiwan.
The premier made these remarks after a briefing by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) on its preparations for the festival. He commended the MOTC to continue to advance toward these three major objectives: making Taiwan's cycling events internationally renowned, developing cycling tourism and inducing LOHAS (lifestyles of health and sustainability) for all citizens.
Since initiating the Taiwan Cycling Festival in 2011, the MOTC has incorporated both public- and private-sector forces to promote cycling tourism. Via a series of related activities and linkage with regional specialty resources, the festival has brought about the development of bicycle- and tourism-related industries and marketed Taiwan with outstanding success, the premier pointed out. He commended the staff of the MOTC, MOE and relevant local governments for their hard work.
Mao also reminded relevant ministries and agencies that the festival will help generate business opportunities for industries and can focus companies on developing related niche products.
The 2015 Taiwan Cycling Festival encompasses cycling activities, recreational tourism, and development of both regional tourism businesses and the cycling industry, the MOTC stated. Its four major theme events are:
- The Taiwan KOM (king of the mountains) Challenge, in which 600 local and international competitors will cycle a 105-kilometer biking route ascending from sea level to 3,275 meters above sea level.
- The Formosa 900, in which groups from northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan will depart simultaneously on a nine-day cycling trip around the island.
- The Sun Moon Lake, Come! Bikeday, which calls for bikers to cycle around the Sun Moon Lake bikeway, named one of the 10 most beautiful bike paths in the world by CNNGo TV.
- The OK Taiwan-Bike and Horse Riding Tour, which will focus on horse rides and cycling in greater Taichung, known as the island's best cycling-tourism destination.
The MOTC pointed out that after years of effort, the Taiwan Cycling Festival has garnered international acclaim. Le Cycle, the cycling magazine with the highest circulation in France, has listed the Taiwan KOM Challenge on the same level as that of a classic event on the Alps, thus making it a tourist highlight for Europeans. In 2014, Australia's SBS TV network reported Taiwan's KOM route as one of the six major routes worldwide for mountain biking.
The 2015 Taiwan Cycling Festival is expected to attract 110,000 participants and generate NT$220 million (US$6.69 million) in production value, the MOTC estimated.