Although most tourism industry operators said they are ready for Chinese tourists, academics say that services and immigration-related facilities still need to be improved.
President-elect Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) has promised to begin direct cross-strait weekend charter flights in July that would allow 3,000 Chinese tourists to visit per day in the initial stages, with the number increasing to 10,000 per day within four years.
Right now, only 1,000 Chinese tourists per day are allowed into Taiwan and they are required to transfer through a third country.
At a public hearing at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, China Airlines (CAL) president Chao Kuo-shuai (趙國帥) said that “China Airlines and EVA Air have been preparing [for direct cross-strait flights] for more than 10 years.”
So have hotel operators and bus companies.
Chiu Hsing-kui (邱祥桂), president of the Republic of China Federation of Hotel Operators, said among the 100,400 hotel rooms in Taiwan, only 60 percent to 70 percent are constantly occupied.
“Chinese tourists can certainly help to fill the rooms that are often not used,” he said.
Hsu Meng-yu (徐夢育), vice president of the Republic of China Federation of Tour Bus Company Operators said that tour bus companies have been preparing since the government announced that Chinese tourists may be allowed several years ago.
On average, a Chinese tourist spends approximately US$2,000 during an eight-day trip, “and the related economic benefit is 2.7 to 3.3 times that amount,” president of the Travel Agent Association of the Republic of China Yao Ta-kuang (姚大光) said.
However, some are still sounding a cautionary note.
Assistant professor at Minchuan University’s School of Tourism, Yang Jyh-yih (楊志義), said that the industry needs to pay more attention to its service.
“The product is ready — but is the service ready? Can we give the guests a convenient, safe and comfortable trip? Do we have enough certified tour guides?” he asked.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) told the industry not to put all its hope in new Chinese tourists.
“Of course Chinese tourists will help boost our tourism industry, but what if the Chinese government decides to stop their people from traveling to Taiwan for some reason? Are all the investments going to be in vain?” she said. “We do need to invest more to improve the quality of our tourism sector — not just for Chinese tourists, but for tourists from all countries.”
In related news, the Taipei City Government’s deputy secretary-general Chen Yoong-ren (陳永仁) said yesterday the city government, in order to lure more Chinese tourists to Taipei, is cooperating with the Taoyuan County Government to plan a tour package featuring activities and sights relating to dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石) and his son, Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國).
The city will also create shopping and gourmet tour packages to attract Chinese tourists once they begin visiting the nation, Chen said during a meeting at Taipei City Hall.
Wu Chyou-mei (吳秋美), vice director of the city’s Department of Information and Tourism, said Chinese tourists are expected to bring annual revenues of NT$17 billion for the city.
Besides planning tour packages, Wu said the city government would also advise on the renewal and expansion of hotels and was looking to provide more than 4,000 hotel rooms for Chinese tourists by 2010.
Additional reporting Mo Yan-chih
TRAFFIC SAFETY RULES: A positive result in a drug test would result in a two-year license suspension for the driver and vehicle, and a fine of up to NT$180,000 The Ministry of Transportation and Communications is to authorize police to conduct roadside saliva tests by the end of the year to deter people from driving while under the influence of narcotics, it said yesterday. The ministry last month unveiled a draft of amended regulations governing traffic safety rules and penalties, which included provisions empowering police to conduct mandatory saliva tests on drivers. While currently rules authorize police to use oral fluid testing kits for signs of drug use, they do not establish penalties for noncompliance or operating procedures for officers to follow, the ministry said. The proposed changes to the regulations require
The Executive Yuan yesterday announced that registration for a one-time universal NT$10,000 cash handout to help people in Taiwan survive US tariffs and inflation would start on Nov. 5, with payouts available as early as Nov. 12. Who is eligible for the handout? Registered Taiwanese nationals are eligible, including those born in Taiwan before April 30 next year with a birth certificate. Non-registered nationals with residence permits, foreign permanent residents and foreign spouses of Taiwanese citizens with residence permits also qualify for the handouts. For people who meet the eligibility requirements, but passed away between yesterday and April 30 next year, surviving family members
Taiwanese officials are courting podcasters and influencers aligned with US President Donald Trump as they grow more worried the US leader could undermine Taiwanese interests in talks with China, people familiar with the matter said. Trump has said Taiwan would likely be on the agenda when he is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) next week in a bid to resolve persistent trade tensions. China has asked the White House to officially declare it “opposes” Taiwanese independence, Bloomberg reported last month, a concession that would mark a major diplomatic win for Beijing. President William Lai (賴清德) and his top officials
The German city of Hamburg on Oct. 14 named a bridge “Kaohsiung-Brucke” after the Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung. The footbridge, formerly known as F566, is to the east of the Speicherstadt, the world’s largest warehouse district, and connects the Dar-es-Salaam-Platz to the Brooktorpromenade near the Port of Hamburg on the Elbe River. Timo Fischer, a Free Democratic Party member of the Hamburg-Mitte District Assembly, in May last year proposed the name change with support from members of the Social Democratic Party and the Christian Democratic Union. Kaohsiung and Hamburg in 1999 inked a sister city agreement, but despite more than a quarter-century of
RSS