President Ma Ying-jeou on the morning of February 15 attended the 2011 Tourism Festival Awards Ceremony and expressed his hopes that Taiwan's tourism industry will not only boost investment and enhance quality, but also will increase the depth of the industry. This will help make the ROC a nation that is both respected by and inspiring to people around the world, he said.
The president pointed out the fast-paced development of Taiwan's tourism industry, saying that the industry grew 14.3% in 2009, which was the highest growth in Asia, followed by 26.67% growth last year. Tourist arrivals in 2010 grew to 5.56 million from 4.39 million in the previous year, while the output value of the industry leapt from about NT$300 billion in 2009 to NT$510 billion last year. Both the number of tourists and output exceeded expectations, he commented.
President Ma stressed that the increase in tourists has created benefits for Taiwan's tourism operators, hotel industry, department stores, food and beverage industry, and transportation industry. At the same time, the industry should strive to enhance the quality of the tourism experience here, the design of itineraries, and related management measures to boost the interest among tourists in returning to Taiwan in the future.
The president remarked that last year he set forth two important directions for the industry, namely to increase investment and upgrade quality. This year, he noted, he is adding a third element, which is to enhance the depth of the industry. Besides enabling tourists to see the beautiful scenery of Taiwan and enjoy its gastronomic pleasures, the president said he hopes visitors will sense the goodness of the people of Taiwan. This is an important element in winning respect and providing inspiration to others, and constitutes true soft power, the president explained.
President Ma stated that over the past year quite a few local and foreign publications have published articles on how Chinese culture is rooted in the lives of people here, as well as the good-natured manner of the Taiwanese people. He said that this shows that Taiwan's education has been quite successful. The president added that renowned mainland Chinese painter Chen Danqing recently stated during a visit to Taiwan that he witnessed the "gentleness, kindheartedness, respectfulness, frugality, and deference" of Chinese culture here. While many people may not have taken notice of this, it is something that cultural observers find extremely satisfying, the president commented, adding that this is the correct path to take.
After concluding his remarks, President Ma was accompanied by Premier Wu Den-yih and Transportation and Communications Minister Mao Chih-Kuo in taking part in various ceremonies and bestowing the Taiwan Tourism Contribution Award to Japanese artist Sachiko Kobayashi and Landis Hotels and Resorts Group President and Honorary Chairman of the Taiwan Visitors Association Stanley Yen, and the Lifetime Achievement Award to Honorary Dean Chuck Y. Gee of the School of Travel Industry Management of the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.