The government is working to attract a more diverse mix of tourists to Taiwan to avoid overreliance on any one market.
A steady decline in the number of Chinese tourists coming to Taiwan over the past few months has raised concerns about the tourism sector’s dependence on China.
On Thursday, Vice Premier Woody Duh said that the government’s current five-year strategy for boosting tourism includes efforts to tap into markets in Southeast Asia and the Muslim World. Duh said the government is considering measures like simplifying visa applications as part of its efforts to attract tourists from new markets.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which is set to take power in May, has already begun discussing the issue of attracting a broader range of tourists. At a recent meeting at the party think tank, one party official said that the party liberalize the tourism industry and remove regulatory constraints.
On Thursday, DPP spokesperson Ruan Jhao-syong said that the party has repeatedly stressed the need to diversify Taiwan’s tourist base. He also said that the DPP hopes to raise the quality of Chinese tours in Taiwan and relax restrictions on Mainland visitors.