The government is to promote good tourism infrastructure in a push to attract visitors, in addition to expanding the labor pool with foreign workers, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) said today.
The only way to attract international visitors is to invest in good transportation infrastructure, Cho said at the Taipei Tourism Expo, which runs from today to Monday at the Taipei World Trade Center.
This year's expo has a record-high 350 participating companies, nearly 40 percent more than last year, organizers said.
Photo courtesy of the Travel Quality Assurance Association
Taiwan's national development has been negatively impacted by US tariff and trade policy, making it even more important to invest in attracting visitors, as the “movement of people remains tariff-free,” Cho said.
As part of this strategy, the government next year plans to expand domestic demand in addition to attracting international tourists, he said.
This includes investing in good tourism infrastructure, as it is the best way to entice international visitors, Cho added.
To bring international tourists to Taiwan, the government would provide subsidies to lower travel barriers, such as language training, to ensure the nation has a positive image abroad and balance the number of outgoing travelers with incoming ones, Cho said.
The government would also combine large events such as international exhibitions, sporting events and concerts into tourism packages, he said.
Regarding labor, the government plans to introduce new policies that still prioritize local workers, but also introduce migrant workers to meet demand, Cho said.
Customs and immigration procedures would also be optimized, he added.
The expo is Taiwan's largest travel fair in the first half of the year, and is estimated to attract 300,000 people.
It features more than 20 central and local government agencies in addition to travel agencies, airlines, hotels and overseas tourism operators.
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