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Tourism Bureau spurns THSRC

"It [the THSRC] is not tourist-friendly enough."

Janice Lai, Tourism Bureau director-general

The Tourism Bureau's plan to make the high speed rail a selling point was met with nonchalance by the Taiwan High Speed Rail Co (THSRC), as the company has asked the bureau to pay NT$1 million (US$31,250) a year for promotional signboards featuring the nation's railway tours to be placed within the high speed rail stations.

Turning to the TRA

Tourism Bureau Director-General Janice Lai (賴瑟珍) said yesterday that since the bureau did not have a sufficient budget to pay for the signboards, the bureau would work with the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA) instead.

"It [the THSRC] is not tourist-friendly enough," Lai said, adding that the bureau's marketing strategy for the moment for the high speed rail was to focus on pre-arranged group tours rather than tours for individuals.

Lai made the remarks after briefing legislators serving on the legislature's Transportation Committee yesterday.

Japanese tourists

It was believed that the launch of the high speed train in January would attract many Japanese tourists who would come to ride on what they perceive as Taiwan's Shinkansen system.

To encourage more Japanese tourists to visit, the bureau has planned to invite 300 Japanese tourism representatives to join a free high speed rail tour of the nation, where the itinerary will be arranged by a local travel agency.

The bureau said that domestic airlines have also agreed to provide free flights for all the tour's participants.

Meanwhile, the bureau was hoping it could place promotional signboards -- each 4m2 -- in high speed rail stations.

While the THSRC said that it would charge the Tourism Bureau NT$1 million for the advertising arrangement, the TRA only charges the bureau NT$600 a year for signboards of the same size.

Not eager

Lai also said the bureau was not eager to promote the individual high speed rail tours. Most of the high speed rail stations are located in the suburbs, requiring shuttle bus services to carry travelers from the high speed rail stations to their next destination.

She said that the TRA system appears to be a more viable transportation option for travelers on self-arranged tours.

Inadequate shuttles

The inadequate shuttle bus system around the high speed rail stations also became the target of criticism in the question and answer session in the legislature yesterday.

Legislators from central and southern counties have also complained that the high speed rail had caused domestic airline companies to reduce the number of daily flights.

Since the shuttle buses do not run as frequently as they should, travellers often have to ask family members to pick them up at the high speed rail stations, the legislators said.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Tsai Duei (蔡堆) replied that the average occupancy rate of each shuttle bus was low, so it was difficult for the bus operators to expand the route system.
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