A short film produced by the Tourism Bureau and Sony Taiwan that aims to attract international tourists to Hualien and Taitung counties premiered in Taipei yesterday.
The film was released as part of the government’s intensive effort to boost Hualien County’s tourism industry, which suffered a sharp drop in visitor numbers after the county was struck by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake last month.
East of Taiwan captures high-definition images of some popular tourist attractions, including white-water rafting and hot air balloons, as well as natural scenery.
Photo: Yang Mien-chieh, Taipei Times
The film features three groups of tourists, the first consisting of backpackers from North America and Europe who experience the daily lives of Aborigines.
The second group is a family from Japan, who traveled to the east coast because the father wanted to show his wife and children the places where his grandfather used to live.
The family said that the scenery in the eastern Taiwan is similar to that in Japan.
The third set of travelers are two young South Korean women who are so drawn by the mountains, seas, food and other tourist attractions on the east coast that they consider moving there.
The film aims to attract tourists from various nations with different travel routes and tourist attractions unique to the east coast, East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration director Lin Wei-ling (林維玲) said, adding that the film’s background music combines Aboriginal songs with modern rhythms.
The actors talk about their impressions of Hualien and Taitung, Lin said, adding that she hopes that the images and sounds would motivate people to come and visit.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), who represents Hualien, said that even though the bureau is providing short-term subsidies to people who visit Hualien before summer, boosting tourism requires long-term solutions, such as arranging charter flights so tourists can fly directly to the city.
Tourists can spend the nights in the city and discover the beauty of the county, Hsiao added.
Starting on Saturday, the film is to be available on YouTube, the East Rift Valley National Scenic Area Administration’s Facebook page and Instagram, the bureau said.
Sony Taiwan also made a one-minute commercial for the film, which can be viewed on the agency’s page, Sony Taiwan retail stores and on YouTube.
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