‧ 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
Poland is betting on a flood of investments and technology transfers from Taiwanese companies to reengineer its US$1 trillion economy. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said yesterday that Poland will no longer be “just an assembly hub” as it pursues further investments from the likes of Foxconn Technology Group (富士康). The firm, whose full name is Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密), last month agreed to build electric vehicles (EVs) in the European Union nation and now could be a partner in a semiconductor venture, he said. The government’s aim is to boost manufacturing and the country’s high-tech chops in an era
Taiwan remained the sixth-largest net creditor nation in the world last year, despite a fall of more than 10 percent in its net international investment position (NIIP) over the year, the central bank said yesterday. The NIIP is the difference between a country’s external financial assets and its external financial liabilities. Taiwan’s external financial assets hit US$3.27 trillion at the end of last year, up US$275.75 billion or 9.2 percent from a year earlier, the central bank said in its annual NIIP report. The growth largely reflected an increase in holdings of overseas marketable securities by residents in Taiwan, as well as a
RESTRICTION BREACH: ASML said that it denies ‘unfounded rumors regarding non-compliance with export controls concerning China,’ and enforces controls strictly US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in a series of recent meetings outlined concerns to Dutch chip-equipment giant ASML Holding NV’s senior leaders that one of its top-of-the-line machines might have made its way into China, in violation of US-led export restrictions. In the meetings, Lutnick expressed concern to ASML executives over the company’s extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machines, people familiar with the talks said. EUV systems are used by firms such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (台積電) to manufacture processors for the likes of Nvidia Corp and Apple Inc. ASML has never been allowed to ship them to China because of curbs
BAD FAITH LITIGATION? The two companies, owned by a California-based private equity firm, could be seeking licensing fees or a settlement payout with the suit Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) Director-General Liao Cheng-wei (廖承威) said yesterday he suspected that two firms suing contract chipmaker Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) for patent infringement are “patent trolls.” A patent troll refers to a company that buys patents not for manufacturing products, but to sue other companies for compensation, accusing them of using its patents. Patent trolls, formally called Non-Practicing Entities or Patent Assertion Entities, were responsible for more than 50 percent of lawsuits in the US last year, costing targeted businesses tens of billions of US dollars a year, according to the US-based LegalCharity Web site. Asked whether
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