The Tourism Bureau yesterday unveiled its first short film highlighting the friendliness of Taiwanese, adding that it was the first time it had tried to promote tourism by working with the nation’s film industry.
The short film, Taiwan: The Place to Have a Fascinating Trip, was produced using scenes from the film Anywhere, Somewhere, Nowhere (到不了的地方) by Taiwanese director Leading Lee (李鼎).
The scenes feature some of the nation’s tourist attractions, such as the Alishan Forest Rail Line, Taroko Gorge, Plum Blossom Forest and Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼).
Bureau Deputy Director-General Wayne Liu (劉喜臨) said that the short film can be seen on YouTube, adding that the bureau is authorized to screen the short film at international travel fairs, as well as on billboards at sporting events, Times Square in New York and in supermarkets in Southeast Asia.
Liu also said that the bureau wanted to focus on Taiwanese friendliness in the short film because that has been what impresses international visitors the most.
“Friendliness has been ranked first in our surveys of international tourists for the past 20 years, but it is difficult to promote this attribute,” Liu said. “How would you convey this feeling through motion pictures? I believe the director’s personal experience in traveling the nation has enabled him to portray the abstract emotion.”
Liu said that the film not only shows the friendliness of Taiwanese, but also displays the nation’s delicious food and unique lifestyle.
To illustrate the friendliness of Taiwanese, Liu shared a story of how his friend helped a couple find their way to their hotel.
“He told me on Facebook that the couple was trying to find the hotel they had booked in Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. On their way to the bus stop, he saw that the bus they should be taking had arrived.
Realizing that they would miss the bus, he ran across the street first and stopped the bus.
He told the bus driver what was happening and the driver waited for the couple to board.
My friend was proud to have done something to promote tourism in Taiwan, although I reminded him to look before he crosses the street every time,” Liu said.
Liu said the short film was only one of seven that are to be showed in the future.
These films will promote Taiwan through its cuisine, culture, lifestyle and ecosystem and market the nation as an ideal place to shop and fall in love as well, he said.
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