Tourism is an important strategic industry in Taiwan. The Taiwan Tourism 2025 Campaign (2021-2025) was launched to realize the vision of a "tourism-based country" under the Taiwan Tourism 2030: Taiwan Tourism Policy White Paper. This strategic layout was adjusted in response to COVID-19 to "continue stimulating domestic tourism in the early stage and ramping up international travel in the later stage." It also adopted a five-prong strategy of "creating attractive destinations, preparing theme tours, optimizing the industrial environment, promoting digital experiences, and expanding tourist sources," along with 24 implementation measures to strengthen the tourism environment and service quality and develop the tourism industry sustainably. In 2021-2022, the Tourism Bureau's promotional focus will prioritize "improving the quality of domestic tourism and promoting post-COVID industry transformation" as preparation for developing international tourism after the pandemic and marketing Taiwan as a safe travel destination.
Strategies
Implementation Measures
Connecting Regional Tourism Features to Create International Attractions
Under the five-year Forward-looking Tourism Development Plan (2021-2025), the Northeast Coast, North Coast and Guanyinshan, Sun Moon Lake, Alishan, East Coast, and Penghu national scenic areas administrations are developing 24 spotlight projects oriented to "forward-looking tourism." The plan aims to create six major scenic attractions with unique international appeal, as well as link these resources into regional tourism belts and promote sustainable tourism development.
The Tourism Bureau is also promoting "Forward-looking Regional Tourism Brands" to improve the quality of recreational services at scenic sites in counties and cities throughout Taiwan. In addition, the bureau continued to promote the "Plan for the Development of Local Travel Environments for Experiential Tourism (2019-2023)." In 2021, it supported county and city governments to improve 48 tourist attractions and assisted local governments with overall regional tourism development to create new opportunities for post-COVID tourism.
"Salute to the Seas": Cleaning the Coast and Creating Friendly Coastal Service Facilities
To promote the Executive Yuan's "Salute to the Seas" policy, the Tourism Bureau coordinated planning for coastal national scenic area administrations to implement "scheduled cleanups, specialist patrols, emergency cleanups, and tiered cleanups" at scenic spot and unregistered coastal c to realize "government policy, ocean guardianship, and clean coasts." Cleanup activities in 2021 removed 7,409.6 mt of trash and cleaned 8,467 km of coastline. Customs, immigration, quarantine and security (CIQS) services were also integrated to create a convenient service window at Bay Marina Pier to facilitate foreign yacht and sailboat traffic in and out of Dapeng Bay.
The Tourism Bureau partnered with the private sector to clean up the beaches at Qianshui Bay on October 30, 2021.
Preparing Multi-themed Tours to Promote In-depth, High-quality Itineraries
The Tourism Bureau promoted tours under the themes of ecology (mountain, sea, and geology, as well as flower, bird, and butterfly appreciation), culture (folk festivals, indigenous peoples, indigenous and Hakka villages, museums, and small towns), cuisine (hot spring cuisine, Michelin star cuisine, and night markets) and LOHAS (hot spring, bicycling, marathons, railways, and green historic trails). It also strengthened tour itinerary packaging, marketing, and promotion.
Promoting Bicycle Tourism, Creating a Low-carbon Travel Trend in Taiwan
In conjunction with the Island-Round Cycling Routes Upgrading and Route Integration Promotion Plan, the Tourism Bureau optimized and improved cycling routes. Services and facilities were enhanced along 849.3 km of various types of cycling routes. The bureau encouraged travel agencies to partner with related industries to introduce bicycle tours and creative high-quality itineraries. In 2021, 16 cycling routes and 30 high-quality itineraries were arranged. The bureau also launched Taiwan Bike Day, with 38 activities in three categories. Various coordinated marketing and publicity activities were arranged, 782 businesses joined industry alliances, and more than 31,000 people participated in the Taiwan Cycling Festival activities, generating NT$120 million in tourism revenue.
In April 2021, the Tourism Bureau arranged a "Bicycle Friendly Accommodations Popularity Vote" to market and promote bicycle-friendly accommodations. It also helped more than 870 businesses to develop bicycle-friendly accommodations. Related information can be accessed on the "Bicycle Friendly Accommodations" page of the Taiwan Stay and Taiwan Bike websites.
The Tourism Bureau carried out the "Small Town Passport 3.0 and Bicycle Tour Marketing and Promotion" activity, published the "Top-100 Classic Town Passport," and arranged digital stamp-collection activities and waveband marketing and promotions for small town attractions and bicycle tours in Taiwan. In 2021, the activity website attracted 1,958,788 views and 25,264 people participated in the digital stamp collection event.
Promoting Indigenous Tours, Supporting Indigenous Tourism Brands, and Discovering Specialty Indigenous Products
The Tourism Bureau regularly convened the Council for the Promotion of Tourism in Indigenous Areas to continue assisting indigenous villages in establishing tourism brands, discover indigenous specialty products, establish marketing channels, train professional indigenous guides, and package and market tour products incorporating indigenous festivals and folk activities. The bureau also integrated the resources of related ministries and departments to package specialty tours and extend visitor stays at indigenous villages. Several agencies jointly held the 2021 Taiwan Indigenous Tourism Carnival showcasing indigenous tourism routes, distinctive products, and DIY experiences. The carnival for the first time featured an outdoor fair and invited visitors to indigenous villages for tourism.
Expanding Marketing of the 2020-2021 Taiwan Tourism Biannual Calendar Brand to Drive Local Tourism
The Tourism Bureau continued to promote the "2020-2021 Taiwan Tourism Biannual Calendar" on a rolling basis, including 101 national and international-class events incorporating local specialties and resources. The promotion stimulated peripheral economic benefits through the development of "spotlight travel products," promotion of "large-scale industry-based events," and continuous improvements to activity quality and content. The events attracted more than 46 million visitors and generated NT$36.5 billion in economic benefits. The Tourism Bureau also conducted a rolling review and selection of 103 activities for the 2022-2023 Taiwan Tourism Biannual Calendar, including 43 international-class events and 60 national-level events. These activities aimed to create unique visitor attractions and increase repeat visits to drive tourism. The bureau partnered with local governments to strengthen city marketing. It also encouraged travel agencies to package tour products and promote overnight travel to lengthen visitor stays, increase revenue, invigorate domestic travel, and sustain tourism development.
Integrating Tourism Circles to Promote Distinctive Local Tourism and In-depth Tourism Products
Tourism circles were integrated to promote regional tourism brands and Gold Tour routes based on regional concepts to create a unique brand for each area. The tours combine ecology, culture, cuisine, and LOHAS travel themes into in-depth tourism products. Limited tours were introduced, generating snowball tourism revenue for related industries along tour routes. The Tourism Bureau helped the Travel Quality Assurance Association R.O.C. to introduce 21 Gold Tour routes with the themes of "ecology," "culture," "cuisine," "bays," "mountains," "bicycles," and "railways." It also strengthened marketing and promotion of domestic tourism through travel fairs and media and community platforms.
Optimizing the Industrial Environment to Bolster Domestic Tourism Quality
Travel Industry Development Promotion Plan
Travel industry associations provided a platform to boost tourism service quality, industry upgrading, and service transformation. In 2021, subsidies were limited to NT$1.268 million for five applicants since COVID delayed the application period to August 17 that year.
Ongoing Promotion of Star Hotel Ratings and Taiwan Hosts Brand Mark Certification System
The Tourism Bureau continued to strengthen hotel brand images and guide the hotel industry towards quality improvements to increase competitiveness in this sector. As of the end of 2021, there were 403 Star rated Hotels and 1,168 guest houses had obtained Taiwan Hosts certification.
Creating Friendly and Smart Accommodations, Incentivizing Hotels to Raise Quality
Subsidies were provided for the installation of Muslim-friendly facilities, accessible rooms, universal facilities, self-serve check-in counters, hardware updates, and fees for linking enterprise resource management (ERP) or hotel property management system (PMS) operational data to the Taiwan Stay website. In addition, incentives were provided for star hotels to join domestic, international, or innovative local chain brands. On November 5, 2021, the subsidies were extended to include the purchase of disinfection doors (channels/chambers) and preliminary assessments of earthquake resistance. Approximately 990 subsidies totaling more than NT$215 million had been approved by the end of 2021.
Financial Assistance to Hoteliers
The amended Directions for the Tourism Bureau, MOTC on Financing Credit Guarantees and Loans and Interest Subsidies for Revitalization of the Tourism Industry were promulgated to help businesses with insufficient collateral to secure financing. As of 2021, a total of 1,225 applications had been submitted for NT$9.78 billion in loans and financing support. In addition, the Tourism Bureau assisted the tourism industry in obtaining preferential loans to incentivize renovations or software and hardware upgrades. In 2021, NT$12.53 billion was approved in 272 cases, of which NT$329 million in interest subsidies was granted in 126 cases.
Incentivizing Amusement Parks to Optimize Services and Facilities during COVID
Subsidies were provided through a Quality Enhancement Program for investment in new facilities, equipment renewal, innovative services, and digital hardware to support industry upgrading and transformation. In 2020-21, a total of 23 companies applied for NT$259.32 million in subsidies, spurring investment of about NT$1 billion.
Establishing a High-quality Outdoor Learning Environment and Edutainment Image
The Tourism Bureau assisted and incentivized theme park operators to introduce courses for off-campus learning activities, improve the safety, diversity, and flexibility of the parks and surrounding resources, and establish a high-quality outdoor learning environment and edutainment image to continue attracting schools and parents to amusement parks for educational travel. In 2011, the bureau presented a proposal to the Outdoor Education Promotion Committee of the the Ministry of Education to establish Leading Reference Indicators for Outdoor Education.
Creating a Safe Post-COVID Amusement Park Environment
The Tourism Bureau helped 25 businesses to improve COVID prevention measures and install digital contactless entry services and other services and facilities.
Advancing Digital Experiences and Creating Immersive Online Travel
Creating New Experiences through Digital Tourism Technology, Marketing Taiwan through Virtual and Real World Channels
The Tourism Bureau promoted and explored the use of mobile, 3D experience (AR and VR), and other digital value-added services. The bureau marketed Taiwan specialty tours, routes, and attractions through immersive, 360-degree surround videos to give international visitors a foretaste of Taiwan and enhance the effects of tourism promotions to attract foreign visitors to Taiwan. Five videos were produced in 2021, including "Love Follows," "The Road of the Brave" "Slow City," "Cycling Route No. 1," and "Cycling Fun." In addition, the Fulong Visitor Center of the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area Administration created a 360-degree VR interactive cycling tour experience to enhance the tourism experience through digital technology and increase interest in cycling tours.
Developing International Markets to Diversify and Expand Visitor Sources
Developing International Markets Under the Policy Guidelines of "First Restoring Confidence to Visit Taiwan and then Increasing the Number of Visitors to Taiwan"
The Tourism Bureau focused promotions on visitors from the Asia-Pacific region and other nearby countries, as well as long-haul countries in Europe and the Americas to maintain Taiwan's tourism visibility. The bureau increased exposure to Taiwan tourism with themed promotional videos and intensive publicity through TV and online channels, as well as print, outdoor, public transit, and other traditional media channels.
The Tourism Bureau continued to invest in new media channels, expanding promotions through social media, internet celebrities in various markets, and cross-industry cooperation. The bureau launched the Time for Taiwan Virtual Exhibition as an anywhere, anytime communication and exchange platform for domestic and foreign companies and dynamic promotion of specialty post-COVID travel products. It also collaborated with major online travel sites to analyze consumer behavior and related industry data and strengthen marketing of independent travel and heighten exposure to Taiwan's online tourism consumer platforms.
Promoting "Taiwan-Palau Safe Tour Groups"
In conjunction with the opening of the Taiwan and Palau travel bubble announced by the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on March 17, 2021, tour group travel resumed between Taiwan and Palau. The tours helped to revitalize travel and economic activity between the two countries, with due attention to COVID controls and safety measures. The first group departed for Palau on April 1. By May 8, a total of 287 visitors had participated in the Taiwan-Palau travel bubble. Flights were subsequently suspended due to COVID and resumed again on August 14 in step with the CECC's reopening of the Taiwan-Palau travel bubbles. As of the end of 2021, Taiwan-Palau travel bubble visitors numbered 2,407.
