One of the fastest growing industries in Asia is tourism. Between 1985 and 1990, the rate of increase was nearly double that of other regions in the world, according to a recent study released by the World Travel & Tourism Council and the American Express Foundation. The number of international visitors to the Asia Pacific region over these years increased by about 68.5 percent—from approximately 31.4 million to nearly 53 million—and the prospects for the future are even brighter. Virtually every place in the region is tapping into the billions of tourist dollars being spent.
Over the past few years, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, mainland China, and South Korea have made tourism a high priority. The results are clear. Their visitor arrivals have increased, cultural preservation has received a shot in the arm, cities are cleaner, transportation is better, and service industries have enjoyed higher standards and profits. Moreover, there are spin offs. These include improved international images and greater success in attracting international conferences and athletic events.
In the midst of this rapid change, Taiwan is falling behind in building a strong tourism industry, both domestic and inter national. Why is this?
Many blame the government for not grasping the economic importance of tourism as well as its potential in strengthening the service industry, expanding educational and leisure activities, and helping to build Taiwan's international image. But the private sector is no less to blame. Hotel associations, tour operators, and temple managers, for example, have not compiled enviable records in providing tourist-friendly software compared with their counterparts abroad.
The lack of priority given to tourism development is surprising. Although many of the government's economic policy goals would seem naturally to include tourism, this dimension is generally omitted. Although the island's coastal and mountain scenery, arts scene, cuisine, and cultural resources have great tourism potential, they are not well developed, pack aged, or marketed.
Consider the economic dimension. Taiwan is becoming a postindustrial society in which service industries—including banking, insurance, transportation, and communications—make up the economic wave of the future. This change is reflected in the central government's economic stimulus package, drafted this summer by the Council for Economic Planning and Development, the executive branch's chief policymaking organization. According to the plan, the highest, long-term priorities are to make Taiwan an Asia-Pacific technological center, an international financial center, a regional operations center, and a transportation hub for the Western Pacific.
But one of the best ways to convince international bankers and business people to base their operations—and their families—in Taipei instead of Singapore or Hong Kong is to offer a variety of cultural, leisure, and recreational activities. The connection with tourist industry development is obvious.
In addition, it is recognized that Taiwan's economic growth from agricultural backwater to major world trader has been achieved at the expense of the environment and the quality of life. As a result, the government's Six-Year National Development Plan is geared to rebuild the island's infrastructure to ensure a higher standard of living. Most of the plan's hardware, especially the transportation projects, have a potential impact on tourism. As yet, no priority has been assigned to the tourism dimension of these projects, but there are strong arguments for doing so.
The private sector should also change its thinking on the marketability of the tourism industry. It could start by taking a look at traditional and modern Chinese culture. It has never been better. Civic cultural preservation groups are be coming more active and the dance, arts, and music scenes (Chinese and Western) are blossoming. So why aren't there more tourists? There are two problems: insufficient infrastructure and lack of marketing. But these could be overcome by Taiwan's famed entrepreneurs if they eliminated their blind spot on tourism and their pursuit of short-term returns on investment.
Look at software, the support services that are so essential to tourism. After all, cultural or historical attractions are not enough in themselves for today's travelers. What is needed? The place has to be known (advertising, informed tour agents, maps); it has to be reasonably convenient to reach (mass transit, tour buses, parking); there must be support at the site (tour guides, multilingual information brochures, clean food and water, clean rest rooms), and there must be souvenirs (postcards, books, slides, CDs, videos, T-shirts, folk arts). Even better, there should be some pleas ant nearby walking destinations so visitors can get a feel for the place.
With this in mind, look at Lungshan Temple in the oldest part of Taipei city. Although it has for decades been one of the most popular stops for visitors, no services are available. The same is true for most potential visitor destinations. Although a variety of tourist sites and activities are available, they are not marketed or maintained. And the lack of information, ticketing, and tour assistance makes it unnecessarily difficult even for Chinese speaking residents to arrange to see a Peking opera, take a temple tour, or visit a group of folk artists at work.
When both the government and the private sector realize—as those in Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur already have—that big tourist dollars can be made with a tourist-friendly infrastructure and good marketing, then expect some rapid adjustments. It's time to check priorities.