Raising the quality of tourism services and making Taiwan a global tourism powerhouse is a core policy for the transformation of the nation's economic constitution, Premier Mao Chi-kuo said today.
Mao made these remarks at today's Cabinet meeting after hearing the Ministry of Transportation and Communications' (MOTC) report on its action plan to boost the tourism industry.
"Taiwan's tourism market is currently undergoing a structural transformation," noted the premier. "With the number of international tourists coming to Taiwan in 2015 expected to exceed 10 million, it is hoped more attention will be paid to the elevation of quality and value."
Based on the core concept of higher quality and value, the action plan—comprising four strategies and 18 implementation projects—aims to reinforce the tourism industry by cultivating talents, publicizing local characteristics and specialties, employing smart technologies, promoting green transportation and launching tourist activities friendly to the disabled and elderly.
It is expected that by 2018 the number of tourists to Taiwan will grow to 11.7 million; foreign exchange earnings will increase to NT$500 billion (US$15.95 billion) from NT$443.8 billion (US$14.61 billion) in 2014; citizens' tourism expenditures will rise to NT$330 billion (US$10.53 billion) from NT$309.2 billion (US$10.18 billion) in 2014; and the number of tourism industry employees will swell to 200,000 from 180,000 in 2014.