I dont think Taiwan has EVER been on the world tourism map ! Do we care? Is it important to develop the tourist industry? Should TAiwan become like Thailand?
Taiwan doesnt have regular tourists, but it seems to have plenty of long term tourists (furriners). I myself have officially been a tourist on Taiwan for decades.
Taiwan gets something like a million Japanese tourists every year. And another million so called tourists who really are just TAiwanese Americans coming in on US passports. Should Taiwan really start to develop this gold mine. Will the long time furriner residents gain anything from it if it was? And if so what?
What do the long time furriners have to say bout this?
It humors me that the nihonjin come to Taiwan and buy stuff at Sogo for the same prices that they pay in Japan.
Taiwan is not on the N.Am. tourist map. If you won’t fly CI (and VERY few Western toursts will), how are you going to get to Taiwan… there ain’t no easy way. Taiwan won’t be on the tourist map until it is has airline service acceptable to Western tourists. I predict Naruwan won’t make a detectable change in tourism.
Taiwan has essentially the same problem as S. Pacific Islands, no airlines will fly non-stop because there’s no demand, and tourists won’t visit because there’s no airline service.
I suppose Taiwan has few tourist attractions or lodging possibilities suited to foreigners (westerners) … and I don’t know of any packages offered by European tour agents …
European companies offer bird watching tours and have for the past few years. In addition, the first European hiking tour just began yesterday and was reported in the news last night. The members are in their 50s and 60s and all are avid hikers. I think this could be a great little niche market. The mountains here are wonderfully scenic but not at all challenging if you are in decent shape. Perfect for older hikers who can’t handle the Himalayas or Alps. Combine with stops at some excellent hot spring hotels, maybe even a hiek down to a wild one, or a day’s river trace, and you have a great package.
Mr He and I had briefly talked about something like this last year, the emphasis being more on hikes down to wild hot springs. Hmm, if Taiwan starts to get a reputation as a hiking destination it will open up many more possibilities.
The article writer is an idiot. He’s a self-loathing elite, of which you meet many in Taiwan. Somehow he concludes that foreigners just won’t be interested in the island even though all foreign writers and books about the island - from Lonely Planet to Rough Guide to National Geo - consider it a the most underrated destination in Asia, and always have high praise for the natural beauty.
He is. While Taiwan might not be a “hot” travel destination for Europeans (yet), it is for many travelers from neighboring countries, like Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. The total number of visitor arrivals is actually rising not declining (just not as fast as the Tourism Bureau had hoped for when formulating their 8-year plan seven years ago).
He is. While Taiwan might not be a “hot” travel destination for Europeans (yet), it is for many travelers from neighboring countries, like Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. The total number of visitor arrivals is actually rising not declining (just not as fast as the Tourism Bureau had hoped for when formulating their 8-year plan seven years ago).[/quote]
Yes, good point. They set the bar too high. Time to revise and reconsider. Of course had we worked out a deal with China the numbers would have fallen on target.
As for western tourists, the name of the tourist game now is niche marketing. Fewer travellers, especially those with money, want to just land in a place and wander around seeing the sights. They want to stay in exclusive resorts, or conversely, little places where they can interact with locals, or do something exotic.
Taiwan is very hit and miss when you don’t know the island. When you do, and you show people around, they are very impressed.
I think Muzza (cant spell his name correctly anyway cuz of the ol auto corrector here) man hit it on the spot. HIking in taiwan for old foggies is a super good idea !!
Brilliant !! Because INDEED, Taiwans mountains are very scenic and yet present no real challenges for the reasonably fit.
Heck , I could do with a hike meself
And niche marketing is really where its at. Someone needs to wake up and start catering to a certain crowd. Package for bird watching. Package for hiking plus some hot springs. etc.
There’s United, Northwest, Malaysia Airlines, and a number of other companies that make flights from the US to Taiwan. Then there’s EVA.
As to the article, I notice he really doesn’t get into the causes of Taiwan’s lack of tourism (other than hinting that Taiwan’s an ugly place), and offers no solutions at all.
There is a British company or 2 offering coach trips around the island for the well heeled. They do 2 days in taipei, a drive down to Taroko, a night at some hot springs. That sort of thing.
Personally I think it’s a good idea to develop tourism for well off retired folk, that way it’s unlikely to become another Thailand and they will bring in more money than a load of backpackers.
That opinion piece is crap and its figures are totally wrong. The number of incoming tourists has not been falling - it has risen quite substantially, but just won’t reach the very ambitious target of doubling during the 2002~2008 Challenge 2008 National Development Plan timeframe. If it hadn’t suffered such a major setback from the SARS epidemic, and if the door had been opened wider to tourists from China as had been expected, it would probably have made that target.
As it is, it’s done pretty well, a lot of solid improvements have been made to tourism infrastructure, people are getting a better idea of what is likely to sell in different foreign markets, promotional work is improving, and the future looks pretty bright.
I firmly believe that Taiwan has tremendous tourism potential and, unless the country is devastated by a military conflict with China, or the whole global economy takes a severe tumble into recession or worse, I fully expect these islands to be attracting large numbers of international tourists within the next decade. So there!
[quote=“Omniloquacious”]That opinion piece is crap and its figures are totally wrong. The number of incoming tourists has not been falling - it has risen quite substantially, but just won’t reach the very ambitious target of doubling during the 2002~2008 Challenge 2008 National Development Plan timeframe. If it hadn’t suffered such a major setback from the SARS epidemic, and if the door had been opened wider to tourists from China as had been expected, it would probably have made that target.
As it is, it’s done pretty well, a lot of solid improvements have been made to tourism infrastructure, people are getting a better idea of what is likely to sell in different foreign markets, promotional work is improving, and the future looks pretty bright.
I firmly believe that Taiwan has tremendous tourism potential and, unless the country is devastated by a military conflict with China, or the whole global economy takes a severe tumble into recession or worse, I fully expect these islands to be attracting large numbers of international tourists within the next decade. So there![/quote]
And as long as they leave a few lovely rivers alone in the Wulai area, we’ll be as cheery as larks won’t we?
I wonder if the TT would allow a rebuttal from the three American professors who have joined our hiking club over the years. Two were even Rhodes scholars which would duly impress the Taiwanese. I dare say they would have slightly more positive words to speak on behalf of this island’s natural beauty.
Indeed, we don’t want the tourist hordes trampling over every little nook and cranny of these precious islands. But there’s plenty to go around for all, I reckon.
And I’m sure the TT would welcome an opinion piece that presented Taiwan and its tourism industry in a far rosier light. Perhaps you should write such a piece, MM, or at least pen a few words of rebuttal in a letter to the editor.
having lived in hawaii and LA…what is the upsideof tourism? more people, the good stuff gets ruined and more people move in. keep secrets to yourself. nothing like having a BBQ in your backyard or fixing the tractor to look up and see someone taking pictures of you like you are that lost stone age tribe. they all those knuckle heads are surfing your spots, tearing down trees for fires…
avoiding commercialized tourism every chance i get and loving it.
All flights from N.Am and Europe to Taiwan require a layover in Japan or HK, some up to 23.5 hours (HNL/TPE on NW; NW and UA have only one flight per day Japan/TPE) … except for CI and BR, which have nonstop service to TPE from Western gateways but which typical Western tourists won’t fly. IMO, that’s not acceptable air service for tourism. It’s better than one flight per week to a S. Pacific island, but for the world’s 16th largest economy, it’s a problem.
uh, I think you are not up to date with the latest flights? Well granted Hawaii to TAipei still needs a bit of work.
I dont know all the details. But EVA have about 15 flights a week from SFO to/from TPE each way. And about 18 a week between LAX and TPE. CAL have something similar. Delta, American and Continental are codesharing some of these flights, along with Viet Air. United have nonstops from SFO and LAX to and from TPE. SQ have a daily non stop to and from LAX to/from TPE. MAS has a daily non stop between LAX and TPE. CAL and EVA have one stop service from NYC to and from TPE. NOrthwest stops in Japan on its way to and from the USA on a daily flight. Certainly there are many daily non stops and one stops from the USA to and from TPE.
From Europe, we have EVA one stop service from TPE via BKK to London and Amsterdam and Vienna. A non stop to and from Paris (soon to end). CAL have one stop service to and from TPE to Amsterdam, etc. Thai and SQ and MAS and Japanese airlines all can get you to Taiwan with minimal stops. The european carriers can all get you to HK and then onwards to TAiwan (on Cathy and the such) And Cathay have many flights a day between HK and europe…
Tons of flights between TAiwan and Australia / New Zealand is possible with either non stop from TPE or thru HK or Singapore.
Air travel between Europe and USA and TAiwan is really pretty convenient these days.
Far cry from a few decades ago.
Used to fly Northwest from SFO to Hawaii, then on to Tokyo, then Osaka and then finally to TAipei sungshan.
And flew CAL from TPE to BKK , then to Dubai , then Amsterdam (staying on the plane in BKK and Dubai)
I did say, "except for CI and BR, which have nonstop service to TPE from Western gateways but which typical Western tourists won’t fly. " CI is IATA code for CAL. BR is IATA code for EVA. I did check Orbitz before I posted. Only CI and BR have non-stop service from CONUS and Europe, but “typical Western tourists won’t fly” CI and BR. That’s a major problem if the goal is more Western tourists. CI is perceived as unsafe, and unfortuately, BR is tarred with the same brush.
IMO, if typical Western tourists are going to tolerate layovers, they will head for many other places, scenic areas in China and Thailand in particular, before Taiwan.
Personally, I like untouristed Taiwan. It’s my fav place in Asia, in fact, partly for that reason. It also helps to have clients in Taiwan.
