Taipei Fine Arts Museum

White Paper on the Taipei City Government’s Tourism Policy
Tourism promotion is one of the most important national policies that can be undertaken to boost the local economy. To continue the prolonged development of its society, the arts and humanities, historical sites, leisure amusements, and status as a modern metropolis, Taipei must upgrade and promote its resources to improve its image. In answer to these needs, the Taipei City Government founded the Department of Information & Tourism (TPEDOIT) on September 11, 2007. The five main objectives of the City’s White Paper on Tourism Policy are as follows:
First, "to attract international tourists and enhancing international visibility”; second, “to upgrade the tourism industry and travel quality, and safeguard consumer rights and interests”; third, “to increase cooperation opportunities with local industries, inspiring Taipei’s travel market, and improve the environment for private investments”; fourth, “to promote cooperation with Taipei County and other local governments in order to increase regional competitiveness”; and last, “to strengthen regional characteristics and major tourism sites." In accordance with these five objectives, Taipei City intends to foster key Taipei tourism images in the areas of natural scenery, charming city corners, historical sites, and the humanities.
The first objective of "to attract international tourists and enhancing international visibility,” means promoting these tourism images and fostering active participation in the overall Asian tourism market. In order to systematically attract international tourists, DOIT has drawn up comprehensive marketing plans and initiated multimedia campaigns to improve the City’s overall image.
The purpose of "to upgrade the tourism industry and travel quality and safeguarding consumers’ rights and interests" is to assist related industries, initiate the release of land for the construction of standard-priced hotels, encourage the development of the conference and exhibition industry, strengthen the quality of tourism-sector staff, establish a widespread network of visitor information centers, and set up a mechanism for dealing with issues of tourism income and expenses. The aforementioned measures will not only help the Taipei City Government upgrade its service functions but the overall quality of its tourism efforts, as well.
The approach taken in "to increase cooperation opportunities with local industries, inspiring the Taipei travel market, and improving the environment for private investments" is to strategically ally the City Government with the private sector. With the aid of international conference and exhibition organizers, hot springs hotels, and the entire tourism industry, the government is designing and advertising package tours via the combination of popular travel themes (for example, medical check-ups combined with recreational travel, night-time sightseeing venues, and special “nostalgia” tours) as well as promoting theme tours targeted at various special-interest groups. Moreover, DOIT strives to assist private industry in the development of exclusive Taipei-focused souvenirs, promoting signature Taipei tourism images, and the boosting the overall travel market.
In terms of regional cooperation plans, the City aims at "to promote cooperation with Taipei County and other local cities in order to increase regional competitiveness," while DOIT will continue to coordinate with official tourism bodies, integrate Taipei County and cities of northern Taiwan (eight bodies in total), as well as integrate official and private associations. DOIT has adopted the method of cooperative marketing and has designed specialized projects for newly developed scenic spots within the eight cooperating areas. In the future, tourism will be promoted via protracted cooperation amongst counties and municipalities, allowing Taipei to call attention to the unique charms and characteristics of this fine City.
Finally, in regards to “to strengthen regional characteristics and vanguard tourism sites,” the City Government is honing its focus on the planning and development of local tourism facilities, such as new shopping malls, the Beitou hot springs, historical tour routes, and Maokong tea culture. By focusing on local businesses and scenic spots, Taipei can present a diverse array of travel images and, thereby, make tremendous strides in developing its tourism industry.