Optimizing the Industry Environment
Promoting travel industry development programs: The Tourism Bureau has leveraged the platform of travel industry associations to stimulate the development of travel industry brands, support industry upgrading to enhance market competitiveness, and strengthen travel safety and innovative travel products with an aim to promote tourism service quality improvements, industry upgrading, and service transformation. As of the end of December 2022, the bureau provided assistance to travel industry associations in the areas of sustainable (ESG) tourism, skills enhancement, and post-pandemic tourism. Over 4,000 tourism-related professionals participated in these training courses.
Training Courses for Middle and Senior Management in the Tourism Industry: In order to retain and nurture tourism industry talent, the Tourism Bureau continued to organize the "Training Courses for Middle and Senior Managers in the Tourism Industry" in 2022. The courses incorporated digital marketing to enhance innovative management concepts among middle and senior managers in the travel, hotel, and amusement park industries. In 2022, eight training courses were held, attended by 258 middle and senior managers.
"Epidemic Prevention Training Courses": In May 2022, the Tourism Bureau arranged a "Workshop on Epidemic Prevention Training for Travel Industry Professionals, Tour Guides, and Tour Managers" to enhance the epidemic prevention knowledge and capabilities of industry professionals, tour guides, and tour managers. Through on-site demonstrations, the program helped to prepare participants for post-COVID-19 tourism. Travel industry associations were encouraged to organize similar courses independently. In response to the re-opening of inbound group tourism on October 13, 2022, the Tourism Bureau continued to help travel industry operators and various tourism, tour guide, and tour manager associations conduct more than 100 in-person and online training workshops on entry and exit guidelines in accordance with the "Operation Guidelines for Travel Agencies in Arranging Inbound and Outbound Group Tours." On October 31, 2022, the bureau launched the Tourism Professional e-Academy online course, attracting participation by more than 20,000 tourism-related professionals by the end of 2022.
Implementing Travel Safety Management
The Tourism Bureau strengthened regulatory and promotional guidance to travel agencies in establishing travel safety concepts, as well as conducted inspections on implementation of travel safety rules. The bureau also continued to jointly inspect tour bus safety with the Directorate General of Highways, including during the Lunar New Year, Wuling Farm Cherry Blossom Season, and long-weekend holidays. Tour buses were stopped for checks and group audits at major tourist attractions, national highway rest stops, and road inspection points to implement tourism quality and safety management work. A total of 431 tour bus inspections were conducted in 2022.
Protecting Consumer Rights
In 2022, the Tourism Bureau handled 729 consumer disputes (including travel dispute appeals and guidance to members of the Travel Quality Assurance Association, ROC in mediation of travel dispute appeals), of which 488 cases were reconciled, representing 66.94% of the total.
