Drawing inspiration from Taiwan’s forests, temples and tea culture, Taoyuan International Airport Corp unveiled a special Country Gate fragrance to mark its 10th birthday yesterday.
With refreshing tones of Taiwan cypress, conifers and cedar layered upon the elegant, subtle aromas of incense and tea, the unique fragrance alludes to the calm and comfortable atmosphere of the airport, and echoes the Ministry of Transportation’s designation of this year as the Year of Mountain Tourism.
On Nov. 1, 2010, the Taoyuan International Airport administration transitioned into a state-run corporation.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
At the festivities, company chairman Lin Kuo-hsien (林國顯), Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chi Wen-chung (祁文中) and Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) highlighted the company’s achievements over the past 10 years and its vision for the next 10 years, while praising its tenacity in weathering the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also in attendance were Democratic Progressive Party legislators Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰) and Tang Hui-jen (湯蕙禎), and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲), among other distinguished guests.
The event was also a homecoming for former company chairmen Yin Chen-pong (尹承蓬), Tseng Dar-jen (曾大仁) and Wang Ming-de (王明德).
Speaking on behalf of Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Chi said that the past 10 years have been full of changes and challenges, and the company has made great strides to keep up with the passenger increase from 26.7 million in 2010 to 48.7 million last year.
With record passenger and flight numbers last year, the company reported a profit of NT$23.5 billion (US$812,446), an increase of 7.8 percent from 2018.
Despite COVID-19 severely impacting airport operations, the company assumed a vigorous and proactive role in pandemic prevention. Instead of standing still, it made use of the lull to speed up various construction projects while providing extra training to staff, Chi said.
As a result, when the pandemic is over, the public can expect physical facilities and services of the airport to be better than ever, he said.
Cheng said that over the past 10 years, company staff have displayed impressive efficiency, and they have remained passionate and professional, despite the woes brought on by the pandemic.
He added that Taoyuan would continue to work closely with the airport to offer a superb first impression of Taiwan to visitors.
Lin thanked residents, international travelers, the 200-odd public and private companies at the airport and the company’s more than 30,000 staff members for their encouragement and support over the past 10 years.
According to the International Air Transport Association, global air traffic is expected to return to last year’s levels by 2024 and would continue to grow from there.
In anticipation, the company is pushing to complete projects such as Terminal 3, a third runway as well as the Air Cargo Park.
“We’re not just a company, but a brand — one that can represent Taiwan’s vitality, economic strength and cultural diversity,” Lin said. “Under the direction of the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, the corporation will continue to grow in the next 10 years, serving all passengers with open arms.”
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