Every city and town in Taiwan seems to have taken to vigorous preparations to welcome Chinese tourists from the almost 300 million strong middle class created by China’s economic reforms. When it comes to business, the Taiwanese are of one mind. The problem is, exactly what do we have to offer?
The spread of the tourism industry was ushered in by the revolution in air travel after World War II. However, it was not until the 1960s that tourism was seriously considered an industry that should be developed through national policy. The start of European, US, and Japanese tourism by the new post-war middle class not only had an economic impact, it led to a boom in travel writing, which has gradually come to dominate our perspective on the world.
If the gradual development of nationalism during the 19th century led directly to the creation of the current system of statehood, then the global tourism industry — which has only been developing for half a century — can be considered the “national development plan” most crucial to the construction of a national image and the reconstruction of cultural environment.
Taiwan, in its quest for identity, has only begun to loosen its borders in the 21st century, and begin to treat China as a friend rather than an enemy. The many challenges and local contradictions that must be confronted will be difficult.
Comparatively, of the transformative strategies with which advanced countries dealt with the global economic crisis of the 1980s, the cultural tourism policies of the EU is a noteworthy example. Faced with the demands of mass tourism, the EU did not adopt theme park style development. Instead, it insisted on development based on historical and cultural foundations, so that part of the wealth generated by tourism could be returned to the local community, and sustainable development funds for cultural construction could be established. This allowed cities the funds for innovation.
Most importantly, since the 1990s, the “historical cultural city” has become the new benchmark of competitiveness for urban centers, so that the main focus of tourism in middle to small cities is not only the consumption of products, but also the search for cultural and historical uniqueness that contributes to the reconstruction of local identity.
A prime example would be the home of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the resulting rise of Salzburg, Austria. In 1965, the city gained international fame with the release of the movie The Sound of Music. The first wave of tourism allowed the city to raise enough funds to lay down the infrastructure necessary for the repair and conservation of Mozart’s home, and constructing music performance space as well as baroque style architecture. Salzburg also encouraged local musicians to study Mozart’s music, and music courses as well as new posts were added to educational institutions. The 250th anniversary of Mozart’s death was celebrated with a world-class music festival. Salzburg is no longer a third-class small town like Hengchun (恆春). Instead, it has become a tourist Mecca for lovers of European classical music.
Britain, which faced the crisis of economic transition earlier than any other, came up with creative solutions in the 1980s. For instance, England’s Lake District has focused on environmental conservation, eliminating pollution-producing industries and recreating the esthetic delights of the English countryside prior to the industrial revolution. The Lake District also created an industry development platform which integrated the entry of those in the fields of literature, history and academics, into local development planning teams, and produced beautifully designed local tourism guides.
Britain has also taken advantage of popular culture, and brought about the revival of Liverpool, home to the Beatles. Liverpool managed to recreate the small town scenes described in Beatles’ music, so that locations made popular in familiar tunes — Strawberry Fields, the Lonely Hearts Club and the Yellow Submarine — reappeared one by one. The city government used tourism revenues for preservation projects and enlivened the entire district. Liverpool has made the list of European historical cultural urban centers and has become one of the top destinations for European backpackers.
These development models not only utilize tourism revenue for community and cultural development funding, but also integrate local literature and history organizations to grow alongside the community. The cross-integration of tourism and cultural industry can make local marketing stand out.
Is Taiwan really ready? I believe that this type of sustainable development cannot be delayed any longer. Only then can Taiwan be transformed into a place where travelers will want to return time and time again.
Sabina Sun is a special lecturer at National Taiwan University of Arts.
Translated by Angela Hong
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