TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) emphasized the government's commitment to stabilizing peace across the Taiwan Strait and called for collaboration towards sustainable tourism goals at the opening ceremony of the Taipei Tourism Exposition (台北國際觀光博覽會, TTE) on Friday (May 31).
He highlighted the importance of both inbound and outbound tourism and the role of tourism in elevating Taiwan's international visibility.
The Executive Yuan announced a day earlier that the ban on group tours to China would be "relaxed but not lifted," allowing tours recruited before June 1 to proceed.
This decision came as the Rural Ecological Tourism Association of Fujian Province (福州旅遊協會) postponed its scheduled familiarization trip to Matsu on June 10, tempering expectations for an immediate opening.
Minister of Transportation and Communications Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) indicated that the decision to lift the ban would be reconsidered after evaluating the situation following the Fujian travel industry's visit to Matsu.
President Lai also announced initiatives to digitize the travel industry, improve administrative efficiency, and position Taiwan as a key player in global artificial intelligence development.
He underscored the significance of inter-ministerial cooperation, as demonstrated by the upcoming computer exhibition, in promoting tourism development.
Furthermore, Lai expressed hopes for the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and the Tourism Bureau to establish a unit for developing tourism products, training personnel, and exploring international markets, continuously advancing the sector.
Lai's vision includes leveraging local specialties and integrating tourism resources, such as combining the attractions of Tainan's Dulan and Chiayi, and promoting the TPASS monthly ticket to encourage independent travel.
This comprehensive approach aims to achieve the goal of making Taiwan a tourism-oriented nation, showcasing its unique cultural and natural assets to the world.
