[quote]Taiwan emulating Australia with its own dream offer
DPA, TAIPEI
Wednesday, Apr 29, 2009, Page 4
Taking a leaf from the book of Australia’s “best job in the world” tourism promotion, the Tourism Bureau plans to launch its own dream job project to promote local attractions, an official said yesterday.
The Tourism Bureau plans to select 50 pairs of backpackers to visit Taiwan for four days, paying each person NT$7,000 per day, said Liu Hsi-lin (劉喜臨), of the bureau’s international affairs department.
BLOGS
“These 50 pairs should travel around Taiwan and create blogs to describe their experiences and the sites they see. From the 50 pairs, we will select one pair and pay them NT$1 million [US$30,000] to travel around Taiwan for a month and post their findings on their blog each day, so that people around the world can see the articles and photos,” he said.
The blogs will be in English.[/quote]
I hope it doesn’t back fire … imagine seeing images and reading blogs about garbage … or, maybe they have to sign a contract that specifies … NO GARBAGE PICS
Yeah, the Tourism Bureau seems to have this misconception that Taiwan is a tourism hub of sorts. I agree with the fact that there are some beautiful places here on the island, but I just don’t see how a place like Kenting for example can compete with any one of the beach holiday spots in Thailand. Sun Moon Lake? Sure it’s pretty. But pretty enough to attract people from all over the world? I doubt it. Taroko? Impressive. But enough so to get tourists from all over? I don’t think so.
I think this idea is very cost-effective and let’s backpapers themselves promote the parts of Taiwan that are interesting and exciting to them. It’s forward thinking and will give them valuable feedback to work with.
This wouldn’t the be the first time the Tourism Bureau has used taxpayer’s money to pay tourists to come to Taiwan in a vain effort to boost arrivals figures and save face. Another hare-brained scheme from one of the most incompetent branches of government.
The TB has never met any of its targets, including its laughable promise in 2002 to double the number of international arrivals by 2008. For their sterling efforts last year, the growth in foreign (non-Chinese) visitors from 2007 to 2008 was -0.88%.
I suppose the rising numbers of Chinese tourists count for something, but the income from that is carefully funneled into the pockets of select tourism operators and hardly benefits Taiwan as a whole. In fact, the rising numbers of, should we say, “subprime” tourists will just make tourists from other countries think twice before coming to Taiwan.
It’s time this basket case of a bureau was completely dismantled and staffed with people who know what they are doing. The whole thing just makes me want to touch my heart, my liver, or some other internal organ.
This is going to go the same way as the the other “great idea” the Taiwan Tourism Bureau had back in 2006 for a 3 month long stay exchange program with Japanese families… The Japanese family who came over to live in Puli left in disgust less than 3 weeks into the program saying that they felt cheated by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau and that Puli was a filthy, reeking, polluted, shithole, strewn with dog crap and had water unfit for human consumption…
:roflmao:
How can anyone, especially young, naive backpackers arrive in Taiwan for the first time and not be appalled at the filth and degradation?.. Maybe if they blindfold them until they’re in select East coast and high mountain scenic spots?.. Areas of fantastic scenery and natural splendor certainly exist, but mostly as isolated pockets that punctuate the hideous cities, rampant filth and environmental destruction… How the Taiwan Tourism Bureau maintains A: their jobs and B: their self delusion that Taiwan and specifically places like Sun Moon Lake and Alishan are world class tourism destinations, I just can’t fathom…
That’s something I’ve never understood. A “world class attraction” – its a bloody lake in some hills with a trashy tourist trap and some hotels of varying degrees of grot and shitty breakfasts at one end.
The description is a complete joke! Sure, it’s pretty, but you can pretty much see the lot in 20 minutes or so.
Is Taiwan really that dirty? Keep in mind I’m coming from the People’s Republic, land of burning plastic, post-apocalyptic landscapes, and 10 million rats per person. I have seen factory towns in Guangdong province. Those areas have visibility similar to the desert planet Khan was stranded on in Star Trek II. My last trip to Yangshuo gave me some excellent pictures… of bottles and plastic bags in the Lijiang He (I am being a bit harsh; the trip was excellent). This article is interesting, and so are all of your comments. I am kind of glad that Taiwan does not seem to attract as many tourists as Beijing, Australia, or Thailand. Where there are loads of tourists, there are people wanting to take your money. And soul. Though I guess that would be good for the economy. Anyway, I always thought that Taiwan was more in line with Japan in terms of garbage disposal. I guess I remember seeing pictures of some trash-filled Taipei alleyways in a friend’s photo album not too long ago.
Sun Moon Lake looks beautiful to me (I’ve only seen pics). I’m easily satisfied as long as I can go somewhere quiet. It doesn’t have to be the Great Pyramids.
Then you my friend are shit out of luck. One thing of which you can be absolutely certain is that if you visit ANYWHERE in Taiwan that has been earmarked by the Tourism Bureau as “an attraction,” about the LAST thing you’ll find is peace and quiet! You WILL, however, be able to find many, many, many cheap plastic trinkets and souvenirs, all made in your home country. Naruwan!
Then you my friend are shit out of luck. One thing of which you can be absolutely certain is that if you visit ANYWHERE in Taiwan that has been earmarked by the Tourism Bureau as “an attraction,” about the LAST thing you’ll find is peace and quiet! You WILL, however, be able to find many, many, many cheap plastic trinkets and souvenirs, all made in your home country. Naruwan! [/quote]
China is not my home country. Its just where I am teaching right now. And I am quite used to what you are talking about. It sounds almost identical to here. I should have been more clear: I am more into the off the beaten path type of things. As in, things that probably wouldn’t be considered “an attraction” by a tourism bureau. Those types of areas tend to be beaten to a pulp, in my experience. The best parts of my travels in the mainland thus far have been getting away from the big attractions and heading into the countryside on a bike. You don’t see “world-class attractions”, but you also don’t see tourists and its very peaceful. I wasn’t referring to the lake, aside from the fact that the pictures look beautiful (which actually says to me, it probably has a lot of honeymoons).
So you are telling me there is no where quiet to go on the entire island? I had a friend who lived there for a while and she told me how impressed she was by the plethora of quiet, tourist-free getaway locations. But, I’ll trust you, since you live there currently. Thank god I have been numbed by the constant white noise of people and heavy machinery.
[quote=“monkey”]This wouldn’t the be the first time the Tourism Bureau has used taxpayer’s money to pay tourists to come to Taiwan in a vain effort to boost arrivals figures and save face. Another hare-brained scheme from one of the most incompetent branches of government.
The TB has never met any of its targets, including its laughable promise in 2002 to double the number of international arrivals by 2008. For their sterling efforts last year, the growth in foreign (non-Chinese) visitors from 2007 to 2008 was -0.88%.
I suppose the rising numbers of Chinese tourists count for something, but the income from that is carefully funneled into the pockets of select tourism operators and hardly benefits Taiwan as a whole. In fact, the rising numbers of, should we say, “subprime” tourists will just make tourists from other countries think twice before coming to Taiwan.
It’s time this basket case of a bureau was completely dismantled and staffed with people who know what they are doing. The whole thing just makes me want to touch my heart, my liver, or some other internal organ.[/quote]
Onetime I called them and offered my Taiwan images for sale and asked if I could get some assignments … answer was that they only work with officially registered companies and bidding … :ohreally: :eh: can they be more incompetent?
Sorry. I thought your were a potential Chinese tourist, who are corralled pretty strictly when they’re here and in any case tend to WANT the noise, trash and crap hotels.
Of course there are many places – most places, actually – to find peace, greenery and relatively unspoilt countryside, especially if you’re willing to walk to get there. Nobody visiting the countryside really leaves their cars except for cyclists and hikers.
And one priceless tourism slogan (though I’m sure it must have cost us taxpayers plenty) that was approved but which I never saw used was “Taiwan: Every Time is Your First Time.” :ohreally:
And one priceless tourism slogan (though I’m sure it must have cost us taxpayers plenty) that was approved but which I never saw used was “Taiwan: Every Time is Your First Time.” :ohreally:[/quote]
Me and the wife were doing a brochure for them the other week for the tunghua festival. We were given the files for translation and editing – about NT$12,500-worth just for our part – the day AFTER the festival was due to begin. They wanted all the files returned the following day before 12 noon. Chinglish alert! :roflmao:
[quote=“Belgian Pie”][quote=“monkey”]This wouldn’t the be the first time the Tourism Bureau has used taxpayer’s money to pay tourists to come to Taiwan in a vain effort to boost arrivals figures and save face. Another hare-brained scheme from one of the most incompetent branches of government.
The TB has never met any of its targets, including its laughable promise in 2002 to double the number of international arrivals by 2008. For their sterling efforts last year, the growth in foreign (non-Chinese) visitors from 2007 to 2008 was -0.88%.
I suppose the rising numbers of Chinese tourists count for something, but the income from that is carefully funneled into the pockets of select tourism operators and hardly benefits Taiwan as a whole. In fact, the rising numbers of, should we say, “subprime” tourists will just make tourists from other countries think twice before coming to Taiwan.
It’s time this basket case of a bureau was completely dismantled and staffed with people who know what they are doing. The whole thing just makes me want to touch my heart, my liver, or some other internal organ.[/quote]
Onetime I called them and offered my Taiwan images for sale and asked if I could get some assignments … answer was that they only work with officially registered companies and bidding … :ohreally: :eh: can they be more incompetent?[/quote]
I met one of those companies and their 23 year old art director in taroko last week. Caught her photographing a local enjoying the sight of the eternal springs. Unfortunately he was our Hong Kong client.
Mind you she was good about it, and we had a nice chat about the difficulties of working with the tourism board. They just don’t want to let foreigners have any control over material that is targetted at foreigners. Another big wasteful publicity blitz is in the works for UK citizens. Buttercup beware. Taiwan will take your breath away/steal your heart/snatch your purse/riddle you with ennui/and leave you altered.
But WHY? It’s so silly. I lived in Taiwan for seven years and am a literate Brit of the ‘type’ that might actually visit the place; lots of disposable income but not so much I’d go to the Bahamas or the Seychelles for my hols. People like me go to Taiwan. Why would they employ people who have no understanding whatsoever of people like me to get people like me to come to Taiwan?
I guarantee I could write/produce better marketing materials for Brits than some Taiwanese young 'un, even if she have study Master marketing in the yingguo, despite my not being a marketing pro. Think a Brit is going to pay 100 000NT+ and board a 3 part flight, realistically, to look at Sun Moon Lake etc without some serious promotional activity?
Clues:
A cartoon character and a Chinglish slogan aren’t going to bring the yinguoren rolling in, not while the Thai islands exist.
If you don’t live near London, you have to change flights twice to get to Taiwan: we’re talking 20-24 hours traveling/airport time. Tickets are expensive.
Britain is also mountainous and rainy with lots of shitty fried food.
Brits want beaches. Taiwan’s beaches are shit and filthy, generally, and there are a lot of cheaper places with better beaches in Asia.
The average Brit is going vomit at pretty much every restaurant they visit. Different tastes
Taiwan is not a good shopping destination: most stuff is imported and expensive.
It’s too expensive for gap year kids.
It’s not nice enough for the middle market.
What’s the angle? ‘You can get 90 days’ visa free entry!'? I bet it is. Despite the fact that Brits get at least that pretty much everywhere non axis-of-evilish on the planet.
Our economy is also down the toilet and the £/NT exchange rate is what it was in the 90s.
or, maybe they have to sign a contract that specifies … NO GARBAGE PICS
One thing of which you can be absolutely certain is that if you visit ANYWHERE in Taiwan that has been earmarked by the Tourism Bureau as “an attraction,” about the LAST thing you’ll find is peace and quiet! You WILL, however, be able to find many, many, many cheap plastic trinkets and souvenirs, all made in your home country. Naruwan! 
And I am quite used to what you are talking about. It sounds almost identical to here. I should have been more clear: I am more into the off the beaten path type of things. As in, things that probably wouldn’t be considered “an attraction” by a tourism bureau. Those types of areas tend to be beaten to a pulp, in my experience. The best parts of my travels in the mainland thus far have been getting away from the big attractions and heading into the countryside on a bike. You don’t see “world-class attractions”, but you also don’t see tourists and its very peaceful. I wasn’t referring to the lake, aside from the fact that the pictures look beautiful (which actually says to me, it probably has a lot of honeymoons).