‧ Post-pandemic tourism revival: the tourism industry vies for domestic and international opportunities
As the coronavirus pandemic is drawing to an end, many countries are lifting their border restrictions, Taiwan included. Since announcing its lifting of border control measures in October last year, we are seeing a persistent flood of passport applications, as well as a drastic increase in arriving travelers. The revival of tourism in Taiwan is real and palpable. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ Tourism Bureau has also been pouring resources in this sector, targeting international tourists in the fortified promotion of tourism in Taiwan. This year, the Taiwan Lantern Festival worked with various national flag air carriers to invite over 200 international tourism operators from 12 countries to visit Taiwan for the lantern festival and travel around the island to sample the local gourmet foods and check out the tourism resources. Worldwide travelers are not only scrambling for a trip overseas, but also becoming more demanding about all aspects of travel. As a result, they tend to plan their itinerary in advance, extend their stay or ramp up the budget to get more out of the trip, quality wise.
‧ Volvo Group continues its partnership with Taikoo Motors to offer all-rounded services and maintenance in Taiwan
Photo courtesy of Bai-Jun Transport
Taikoo Commercial Vehicles Ltd started the dealership with Volvo Trucks and Buses in 1978, and has since become Volvo’s long-standing partner. Their partnership has taken root in Taiwan for over four decades. The company has four directly operated service centers and 20 authorized maintenance workshops across Taiwan, including two flagship service centers, which are the largest in Southeast Asia. They also form a 360° industry ecosystem offering trucks, buses and construction equipment. The goal is to continuously provide total solutions and expand the market, and strengthen the services and position of Volvo as the industry leader in the long run. As a pioneer of sustainability, Volvo has since the 1970s incorporated reduction of carbon emissions and air pollution into the core values of the brand. Offering the best fuel efficiency among vehicles of the same range, plus low carbon emissions and high performance, the Volvo B11R has 460 HP, a solid chassis and 12-speed I-Shift transmission to give passengers the most stable and comfortable riding experience. Its outstanding steering capability allows the driver to stay focused and relaxed at the same time. Its fuel-efficient engine complies with Euro-6 environmental protection regulations and saves up to 10 percent of the fuel cost in a bid to cocreate sustainable values from an environmentally friendly stance.
‧ Safe, high-quality, sustainable Volvo Buses much coveted by premium brands
For international travelers, food, accommodation and transportation are everyday concerns. For international tour operators, enhancing tour bus comfort and safety while staying aligned with sustainable green energy trends has always been their top concern. As a leading brand for global premium travel coaches, Volvo Buses are much coveted by customers seeking quality and safety, and are often deployed to serve as luxury coaches. For instance, STARLUX Airlines(星宇航空) has purchased two of the Volvo B11R model to transport their cabin crew as shuttle buses, primarily for the consideration of safety and comfort; the entire bus’ furnishings and its exterior are an extension of STARLUX’s superior brand image, thus the best embodiment of dual branding. Equally worth noting is the “Unicorn” built by Bai-Jun Transport (百駿通運), which is also equipped with the Volvo B11R and introduced as the world’s first wight-seat super luxurious first-class tour bus. Boasting a smooth and comfortable riding experience, plus lush furnishings on par with a presidential suite, the “Unicorn” caused quite a stir upon launch.
Photo courtesy of STARLUX Airlines
‧ First in Taiwan: Volvo Taipei restaurant bus double-decker for dining and sight-seeing
Volvo and e-go have joined forces to launch the Taipei Restaurant Bus Double-Decker, which claims to have topped Taipei’s most popular tour itinerary in recent years, and guarantees to offer the most luxurious comfy tour bus experience. With a stable chassis, the outstanding vehicle allows for maximum comfort for dining as it traverses through the city. The restaurant bus consists of an upper deck for dining and a lower deck for food preparation. Able to seat 26 people, the bus is equipped with entertainment devices such as televisions, stereo sound and wireless microphones, plus a special full-view glass roof for passengers to take in the capital city’s scenery in East District and Xinyi District from a unique and brand-new angle. The exquisite and delicious meals are provided by a number of renowned hotels to ensure a super chill feast not only for the eyes, but also for the palate.
Photo courtesy of E-go Taiwan Car Rental & Travel Group Corp
With an approval rating of just two percent, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte might be the world’s most unpopular leader, according to pollsters. Protests greeted her rise to power 29 months ago, and have marked her entire term — joined by assorted scandals, investigations, controversies and a surge in gang violence. The 63-year-old is the target of a dozen probes, including for her alleged failure to declare gifts of luxury jewels and watches, a scandal inevitably dubbed “Rolexgate.” She is also under the microscope for a two-week undeclared absence for nose surgery — which she insists was medical, not cosmetic — and is
CAUTIOUS RECOVERY: While the manufacturing sector returned to growth amid the US-China trade truce, firms remain wary as uncertainty clouds the outlook, the CIER said The local manufacturing sector returned to expansion last month, as the official purchasing managers’ index (PMI) rose 2.1 points to 51.0, driven by a temporary easing in US-China trade tensions, the Chung-Hua Institution for Economic Research (CIER, 中華經濟研究院) said yesterday. The PMI gauges the health of the manufacturing industry, with readings above 50 indicating expansion and those below 50 signaling contraction. “Firms are not as pessimistic as they were in April, but they remain far from optimistic,” CIER president Lien Hsien-ming (連賢明) said at a news conference. The full impact of US tariff decisions is unlikely to become clear until later this month
GROWING CONCERN: Some senior Trump administration officials opposed the UAE expansion over fears that another TSMC project could jeopardize its US investment Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) is evaluating building an advanced production facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and has discussed the possibility with officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration, people familiar with the matter said, in a potentially major bet on the Middle East that would only come to fruition with Washington’s approval. The company has had multiple meetings in the past few months with US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff and officials from MGX, an influential investment vehicle overseen by the UAE president’s brother, the people said. The conversations are a continuation of talks that
CHIP DUTIES: TSMC said it voiced its concerns to Washington about tariffs, telling the US commerce department that it wants ‘fair treatment’ to protect its competitiveness Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) yesterday reiterated robust business prospects for this year as strong artificial intelligence (AI) chip demand from Nvidia Corp and other customers would absorb the impacts of US tariffs. “The impact of tariffs would be indirect, as the custom tax is the importers’ responsibility, not the exporters,” TSMC chairman and chief executive officer C.C. Wei (魏哲家) said at the chipmaker’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Hsinchu City. TSMC’s business could be affected if people become reluctant to buy electronics due to inflated prices, Wei said. In addition, the chipmaker has voiced its concern to the US Department of Commerce
RSS