Print

Mail

wiki links

Penghu launches incentives to draw foreign visitors

Tourism officials in Penghu County announced a series of tourism-promotion measures on Thursday which they hope will turn the island into a travel destination for international tourists.

The Penghu National Scenic Administration said it plans to open a basalt park, which will showcase Penghu's unusual basalt rock formations, as well as offer tourists a unique chance to visit a fishing village and take a fishing trip.

DOMESTIC VISITS

Administrator Chiu Cheng-kuang (邱長光) said that Penghu attracts around 500,000 domestic visitors each year.

Chiu said these levels indicate a saturation point for the local market and tourism officials are now working on drawing foreign visitors to the island.

Many tourists are impressed by the beautiful beaches, brilliant sunshine and firewheel flowers on the island, but its tourism development is hampered by the strong, howling northeast winds that sweep across the island all day long in autumn and winter.

STONE TIDAL WEIR

Chiu said the administration is planning to launch an "stone tidal weir" activity in April before the start of the summer tourism season to allow tourists to see for themselves the ancient method of fishing practiced by the island's Aborigines.

A stone tidal weir is an arrangement of stone walls created within the inter-tidal zones on the coastline. It is designed to trap fish at low tide.

The height of the walls is precisely measured to allow the fish to enter the inter-tidal zone as the tide rises.

After the tide ebbs, the descending sea level leaves the fish trapped inside the area between high and low tide.

ROMANTIC

The administration also plans to launch a "romantic" tour of Chipei islet (吉貝嶼), an islet located at the southern edge of the Penghu Archipelago, in August and September, timing it to coincide with Chinese Lovers' Day which falls on Aug. 7 on the lunar calendar. Chimei is also considered an ideal place for water sports.

There are few tourists in Penghu during the windy months so local tourist businesses must survive for an entire year on tourism income earned from only about five months.

To help those in the tourism business pass the rest of the year, Chiu said his administration is planning to strengthen the cultural and natural aspects of the island to cater to the needs of groups who want an "in-depth" tour.

A special tour of Erkan, where a cluster of old houses is located, will be arranged to let interested tourists experience the old architecture and daily life of a fishing village, Chiu said.

Chiu said that global warming has actually had a positive effect on Penghu, making the winter not so bitingly cold.
This story has been viewed 1180 times.