Even before the election results on Saturday last week, there were rumors that China might reduce the number of tourists allowed to visit Taiwan if Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) was elected. While this might worry some people, it could be a good opportunity to readjust the nation’s tourism promotion policy.
After more than half a century of hostility, the governments of Taiwan and China finally agreed to lift a ban on Chinese tourism to Taiwan in June 2008. The number of Chinese visitors skyrocketed and last year Chinese tourists accounted for more than 40 percent of all foreign visitors.
With millions of Chinese tourists visiting Taiwan annually, the tourism industry should be able to reap the benefits, yet the “one-dragon” (一條龍) service — meaning that Chinese companies organize the transportation, shopping, meals, accommodation and other services catering to Chinese tour groups — excludes non-Chinese businesses from the market.
Taiwanese tour guides and travel agencies have repeatedly said that due to the low prices that Chinese tourists pay to join tour groups to Taiwan, they make very little profit, as some Chinese travel agencies pay Taiwanese tour companies only US$40 or less per person per day to provide activities and accommodation, despite Tourism Bureau regulations that set the minimum per person per day budget at US$80.
Taiwanese tour guides have tried to make more money by charging souvenir shops commissions and as a result, souvenir items in some stores might be sold at higher prices to Chinese tourists.
A tea grower told the Taipei Times in an interview that a travel agency asked if the store would be willing to receive Chinese tour groups under the condition that the store pay 70 percent of profits made in sales to the Chinese tourists in commission to the agency.
The overwhelming number of Chinese tourists also affects the quality of vacations in Taiwan for both locals and travelers from other nations.
People complain that popular tourist destinations are overcrowded with Chinese tourists: At Alishan (阿里山), it is nearly impossible to get tickets for the famous mountain railroad, as tickets for entire trains are often booked by Chinese travel agencies. At Sun Moon Lake (日月潭) in Nantou County, people are irritated by Chinese tourists cutting in line to take pictures at scenic spots. At the National Palace Museum in Taipei, people often complain that Chinese tourists are speaking too loudly, disrupting their appreciation of the collections. Museum staff recommend that domestic visitors come from 6pm to 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights, as Taiwanese get free entry into the museum, and few Chinese tourists visit at that time.
The decline in quality of travel has also led to a decline in the numbers of tourists from other nations.
Many Chinese tourists say Taiwan is a place of low quality, and there is a popular saying in China that “if you have been to Taiwan, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”
Most importantly, the Chinese government can arbitrarily control the number of Chinese nationals to Taiwan. An over-reliance on Chinese tourists means the survival of Taiwan’s tourism industry is in Beijing’s hands.
If Beijing cut down on the number of Chinese tourists allowed to visit Taiwan, the tourism industry might suffer for a short while, yet, in the long run, it is a good opportunity for Taiwan to readjust its tourism policy for healthier development.
Speaking at the Copenhagen Democracy Summit on May 13, former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said that democracies must remain united and that “Taiwan’s security is essential to regional stability and to defending democratic values amid mounting authoritarianism.” Earlier that day, Tsai had met with a group of Danish parliamentarians led by Danish Parliament Speaker Pia Kjaersgaard, who has visited Taiwan many times, most recently in November last year, when she met with President William Lai (賴清德) at the Presidential Office. Kjaersgaard had told Lai: “I can assure you that ... you can count on us. You can count on our support
Denmark has consistently defended Greenland in light of US President Donald Trump’s interests and has provided unwavering support to Ukraine during its war with Russia. Denmark can be proud of its clear support for peoples’ democratic right to determine their own future. However, this democratic ideal completely falls apart when it comes to Taiwan — and it raises important questions about Denmark’s commitment to supporting democracies. Taiwan lives under daily military threats from China, which seeks to take over Taiwan, by force if necessary — an annexation that only a very small minority in Taiwan supports. Denmark has given China a
Many local news media over the past week have reported on Internet personality Holger Chen’s (陳之漢) first visit to China between Tuesday last week and yesterday, as remarks he made during a live stream have sparked wide discussions and strong criticism across the Taiwan Strait. Chen, better known as Kuan Chang (館長), is a former gang member turned fitness celebrity and businessman. He is known for his live streams, which are full of foul-mouthed and hypermasculine commentary. He had previously spoken out against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and criticized Taiwanese who “enjoy the freedom in Taiwan, but want China’s money”
A high-school student surnamed Yang (楊) gained admissions to several prestigious medical schools recently. However, when Yang shared his “learning portfolio” on social media, he was caught exaggerating and even falsifying content, and his admissions were revoked. Now he has to take the “advanced subjects test” scheduled for next month. With his outstanding performance in the general scholastic ability test (GSAT), Yang successfully gained admissions to five prestigious medical schools. However, his university dreams have now been frustrated by the “flaws” in his learning portfolio. This is a wake-up call not only for students, but also teachers. Yang did make a big