China Vows to Ease Curbs on Taiwan Tourism

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Thu, Mar 21, 2013
Chinese visitors biggest spenders in Taipei: survey
Taipei Times

Chinese visitors were the biggest contributors to Taipei’s tourism market, spending an average of US$356 per day, followed by tourists from Japan and Singapore who spent US$254 and US$189 respectively, a Taipei City Government survey showed.

Average spending by foreign tourists in Taipei was US$251 per day. Local specialty products, clothing and jewelry were the top three items on foreign travelers’ shopping lists, according to the survey conducted between July and December last year, which polled 1,832 foreign visitors.

Taipei City Department of Information and Tourism Commissioner Chao Hsin-ping (趙心屏) said souvenir shops, such as those that sell pineapple cakes and Taiwanese tea, have thrived thanks to increased spending by foreign tourists.

Republic of China Travel Agent Association secretary-general Roger Hsu (許高慶) said that aside from local specialties, Chinese tour groups also purchased coral products and brand watches, while tourists from Japan, Hong Kong and Macau preferred tea sets and handicrafts.

A closer look at daily consumption by foreign tourists also showed that visitors from Japan, Singapore, the US and Europe were willing to invest more on accommodation, with Japanese visitors spending about US$96 per day, while Chinese tourists only spent US$25.

Hsu agreed with the results of the survey, saying that most Chinese visitors come in tour groups and shopping is a major part of their trips. Visitors from Japan, Singapore and the US, on the other hand, tend to have higher expectations about hotel accommodation.

“As the government plans to increase the number of individual Chinese tourists allowed to visit each day, the consumption habits of Chinese tourists may change in the future,” he said.

At present, Chinese tourists arriving in tour groups are capped at 4,000 people per day, while those arriving as free independent travelers (FIT) are capped at 1,000.

The government plans to increase the number of group Chinese tourists to 5,000 per day and FITs to 2,000.

Of the 6.4 million foreign visitors to Taipei last year, Chinese tourists accounted for 2.5 million, followed by Japanese tourists at 1.3 million.

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Quality key to keeping tourism booming: bank
CNA
April 8, 2013, 12:05 am TWN

TAIPEI--The government should stress the improvements made to inbound travel quality, as the number of Chinese tourists might expand faster this year, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

“Inbound tourism, which Taiwan has long overlooked in favor of manufacturing, is now much more of a government focus because it could transform Taiwan's economy and make its growth less vulnerable to the global technology cycle,” said Marcella Chow, a Hong Kong-based economist at Merrill Lynch.

“However, to ensure that the increasing number of visitors does not become a source of public grievance, like in Hong Kong, in our view it is essential that the government sets sights on enhancing the quality rather than quantity of tourism,” Chow wrote in a recent report.

Based on data compiled by Tourism Bureau, Taiwan had 7.3 million visitors in 2012, a 20.1-percent annual increase compared with the previous year, which surpassed both the global and regional tourism markets by a wide margin.

In 2012, worldwide growth in tourist arrivals is estimated at 3.8 percent, while the Asia-Pacific region, which saw the highest relative growth, expanded 7 percent, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Chow explained that the surge in Chinese tourists to Taiwan, from 1.8 million in 2011 to 2.6 million in 2012, was the main reason for the country's rapid growth in its overall visitor numbers.

Under a quota system, the number of Chinese tourists coming to Taiwan per day is capped at 4,000 group travelers and 1,000 independent tourists.

This April, however, it will be relaxed to 5,000 tourists in groups and 2,000 solo tourists, suggesting that the potential number could expand even faster going forward, Chow said.

“To fully embrace the potential of the tourism boom, the government needs to advance carefully with a well thought out, comprehensive plan,” Chow added.

The economist said Taiwan will need to meet the expectations of international tourists by improving the country's tourism infrastructure and by building unique, high quality tourism products and services, which are key to enhancing competitiveness as a tourist destination.

Policymakers should also ensure that the economic advantages of tourism are shared evenly, Chow said, noting that the rampant price competition between Chinese and local tour operators is lowering the quality of prepaid tour packages.