Above all, you need to allow people here to start learning how to take pride in their countries natural resources by giving them a say on how to manage them. This means the LOCALS -not the tour bus operators and the hotel guys who profit by plundering the resource until its used up. let local people learn how to TAKE CARE of living, growing natural environments and then the pride of place that your country lacks will follow naturally. Start getting high schools and university students extra credit for taking care of natural areas/ tourist attraction areas in the evenings when its not insanely hot. This will also help a generation that has lost touch with its environment learn how to connect to the earth and nature.
1. Standardize english pinyin across the board. Immediately. have all signs and maps across the island have 1 form of pinyin that is standard. Most of the confusion arises from the 75 different methods of signage.
I personally have had to explain to Korean and Japanese businessmen on 2 occasions, who were trying to navigate a major road in Taichung the 4 or 5 different ways of spelling Wenshin Road. (Wen-Chin, Uenchin, Wen-Sin, WenXin, etc...) this is costing your government MONEY, CREDIBILITY, and is UN-PROFESSIONAL. Its not about cultural dominance or any china linguistic issue. Its about CLARITY OF COMMUNICATION. If you are a politician, please GROW UP and stop screwing your own country over and SOLVE an EASY problem. All it takes is one person to sit down and state that Tongyong is official and all signs must be changed to match it by xxx time or federal enforcement officers will forcibly remove the signs until they match. Start using the power over the country that being federal a**h*les gives you over lazy county officials. really the lack of consistency does make things here un-necessarily difficult to navigate.
2. Better linkage and communication between the bi-lingual government websites. This is easy to implement. Just put links to the other sites in an organized manner near the edge of each of the sites. Some already do, but not all. Get better placement for official sites on Google and Yahoo search engines by inquiring with those corporations as to what a government tourist facility needs to do to get near the top ahead of private operators.
3. Architectural and planning controls near tourist destinations. Enforcement of rules that probably already exist. The worst thing that happens when a new site becomes popular is the crop of new uncontrolled development that blasts up immediatly next to sites, thus destroying the natural feeling and reducing visitor numbers- a false advertisment that leaves visitors feeling cheated.
An example of this is near Gao-Mei wetlands. The wind turbines and hideous overcrowding destroy any credibility this area holds as a natural reserve. Dont allow tour buses to dump truckloads of goofs all at once and the cheesy night market next to it that has developed. This can be relocated. The only thing that makes this place nice is when you get a clear day with an amazing sunset over the ocean. The wetlands itself, seems overcrowded and mucky and its hard to recommend anyone to go to see grassy hummocks that birds have all abandoned due to people and dogs tromping through without limits. For some reason locals still go, most likely due to the lack of real beach development near taichung. consider removing some of the dragon teeth (concrete barriers) on the west coast of Taiwan (the populated bit) and plant more mangroves. This will allow for better flood protection, more nesting area for birds and fish, and attract more tourists as well as providing your locals with a legitimate place to take pride in.
4. Control the numbers of people arriving at an area, so everyone can have a good experience, as has been done with orchid island and at turtle island.
But they should be able to ticket and seize tour operator licences and be allowed to seize and destroy buses if need be to prevent the abuse of natural resource areas by overly greedy (unlicenced) operators.
5. Voluntary limitations on development by the people living near a tourist site. The people by an area will need to be consulted and educated and allowed to benefit as well as the operator. In other words jobs and ideally the creation of some kind of ability for the individuals to control the operator if the development exceeds the areas capacity to handle the numbers of visitors.
5. More protected park areas with development farther outside. Play up the natural wonders, and DELIVER on the marketing. Edited advertisments that have photoshopped out the towering hotels next to a development are misleading advertising. Advise best times to visit an area. Some areas are only able to be appreciated at certain times of day, such as at sunset or sunrise. They can remain open throughout but bi-lingual signage recommending times of day should be available. Pamplets and easy to read bilingual maps are great! Consider more maps in Korean and Japanese as well as english to be available at 7-11.
6. Road work. the central mountain goat paths are not safe enough to classify as highways. Or re-classify them as safe ONLY for small cars and motorcycles but disallow buses that can carry more than 10 people on them. The roads are unsafe and crumbling from over-use. The buses often are bigger than the roads. Certain roads can also be closed or turned into extended walking trails with reduced maintenence costs to your government and increased possible profit for local populations nearby. Prime areas for this include the heavily damaged highway 8 between Taichung and Nantou, highway 20 between Taidong and Kaosiung. Populations of small towns within these areas can be encouraged to relocate or be allowed access with special passes or licence plates on their (no more than 10 p within) cars. (after passing a tourist operation licencing course if they want to drive a car that takes more than 6 passengers.) The blue trucks can continue to be used on these roads for purposes of food/logistical delivery and trail maintence services. This could allow locals to start developing their own tour operations in co-operation with your government agencies.
7. Give all visitors to an area a bilingual survey regarding the quality of their experience and any suggestions they may have for improvement. Take the advice seriously. They probably have more ideas than I can give you or more specific ideas tailored to an area. The people who care enough to complete the survey can help contribute to a better experience for future visitors.
8. Hire foreigners with university degrees (in the related language) to check the wording and spelling of official documents. I still see a lot of mistakes on many sites. Its not just lawyer-ese but ensuring clear communication again.
9. Ask yourself if MORE visitors is what Taiwan's environment really needs. Isn't it already stretched beyond its limit already?
What you really should be thinking is of ways to make Taiwan an attractive place to the people ALREADY here- the Taiwanese and getting valuable people to want to stay here. If you can do this, foreigners will follow. If people HERE don't want to stay or see their own country, why should people from other countries want to visit?
10. Convert unused industrial areas that are abundant into parkland. If someone isn't using an area or using it in an inappropriate (polluting way), be able to seize it and convert it into park/ natural reserve/ tourist resource area. This will help housing prices and get more industrial waste areas cleaned up and profitable again.
11. Clean bathrooms with more western style toilets and toilet paper PROVIDED at tourist rest stops inside each stall. regular cleaning and maintenence of these areas. Gas stations as well. Squatters are tolerable to many people, but many foreign visitors have no idea how to use these. Stickmen pictoral signs may be good for the assistence of foreign travellers. It also can make an amusing t-shirt.What is your advice for the Taiwan government and people so that Taiwan can attract more foreign tourists?
Thanks a lot, that page convinced me to spend my next holiday in Taiwan!!
Report Abuse
To add to what Matt said; in regards to public areas, such as parks, tourist areas and the like, the local governments need to make a serious effort to upkeep these areas. I see it time and time again, a place gets built or re-done....
Report Abuse
...looks beautiful for a time, then just totally falls apart because lack of maintenance. Why spend all the money to make a place beautiful, then not touch it for 5 years, and end up having to spend all that money again to make it beautiful again? I really don't understand that.
Report Abuse
There's a new park the government in Kaohsiung City just built at the intersection of Jiuru (9th Road) and Cheng Ching Road. I thought it was so nice when they built it.
Report Abuse
It's been at least 4 months since they've finished. I drive by it every day, and I've yet to see anyone cut the grass/weeds. Now it looks awful. I don't get it....
Report Abuse
Actually the Bus signs-Most New boards in the buses now show the complete route in English and Chinese in Taipei city. Also The New Boards being put up also show the complete route map in Chinese and below the major stops are indicated in English.
The Tourism board already have excellent Tourist maps for Taipei city and of the Whole Taiwan (Many types) In English, Japanese and Chinese-Excellent Quality and detailed and Free.
To improve, The Taiwan Counties (Other than the Major cities that already have bilingual websites) need to have English sites if they want to increase tourist traffic into their areas.
While the Tourism board caters mainly to the upper end travellers, there should be more info available for the Average tourist on a budget. They should list the Top 3 star Hotels and Promote Minsus(Homestay) to a greater extent.There are many websites available now but all in Chinese.
The Govt should encourage more Budget Air carriers - Like Jetstar to come to Taiwan.The Budget traveller is not the ';Hippie'; type but ordinary people - the working class who want to visit new places. They prefer to spend their Dollars eating and shopping and sight seeing so are not looking for 5* stay but places that have the basic amenities,reasonable rates, clean and safe with internet access.
Do advertising on TV BBC or CNN! I would really like to visit Taiwan but except for info about Taipei, I don't know anything! I don't like big cities and would like to get more info on countryside, beaches and historical places to visit!
Cleaning up the beaches would be a good start. There could be so many beach vacation possibilities in Taiwan but many of the beaches are littered. I've seen some that look like dumps. Going to the beach isn't a high priority for many Taiwanese, but lots of foreign tourists like the ocean and could be attracted to Taiwan if more beachefronts were cleaned and carefully developed.
(Oh yeah, the lifeguards will have to quit blowing their whistles whenever someone gets in over waist deep. People from other countries really hate that!)
Hi Choiu-nan,
Certain things the Taiwan goverment may not eb able to do much with about, like China issue %26amp; natiral disasters like typhoon, earthquakes..
But how about increasing the standard of bus services in the island? or also make the places like tourist areas more friendly to tourists.. such as putting up fixed proper bus stops.. fare charts (so we no need to ask when we board the buses).. more English signages.Taiwan visitors centers are already doing so much good works..
Thanks. :)
free ice cream
No comments:
Post a Comment