President Ma Ying-jeou has highlighted the growth of Taiwan’s tourism industry during his administration.
Ma was speaking on Friday during the annual Tourism Day celebration. He said he hopes his successor will continue to promote the growth of tourism. He said Taiwan saw over 10 million visitors in 2015, up from 3.7 million when he took office eight years ago. He also said that revenues from overseas tourism have also grown from NT$170 billion (US$5.1 billion) to NT$440 billion (US$ 13.2 billion).
The president said his promotion of cross-strait peace and simplified visa procedures for tourists have helped the growth in Taiwan’s tourism industry. He said that tourism has stimulated growth in the transport, catering, and retail sectors.