ANNUAL MUSLIM-FRIENDLY TOUR GUIDE COURSE GAINS NUMBERS|"友善穆斯林導遊"培訓課程 報名人數激增

The government has started a new southbound policy for tourism. It is proactively courting southeast Asian tourists. Among them, Muslim tourists make an important and unique market. Each year, the Chinese Muslim Association would hold a muslim friendly tour guide training course. Last year, due to the new southbound policy, there was a rise in the number registering for the course and even a travel company that wanted to set up a course. The room is full of professional licensed tour guides, both young and old, ready for the course that the Chinese Muslim Association offers each year on Muslim friendly tour guide training. Due to the Tsai administration's new southwards policy for tourism, the government is proactive in courting an expanded market of visitors from Malaysia and Indonesia, thus numbers registering for the course have risen. ==TSAI CHIEH-FU Coordinator at Chinese Muslim Association== Starting from last year, the numbers registering for the course have risen. At least 25 to 30 people more per course. Some travel agency will register 20 guides all together and that way we will create a course for them. The training course introduces Muslim visitors' special food and beverage and prayer needs. It reminds the tour guides that Muslim visitors like natural scenery, rather than shopping. Taiwan's night market food is not suitable for the Muslim diet. Course attendees feel that more time is needed for Taiwan to develop a suitable visitor environment for the Muslim cultural characteristics. ==CHANG CHIEN-JANG tourguide== Muslim and Islamic countries, their culture is very different from ours. Therefore it takes while for them to get to know Taiwan. At the beginning of March, 104 companies obtained their Halal certification. However, experienced tour guides feel that even though these may be certified, the number of trained tour guides is insufficient. The Tourism Bureau needs to be more proactive in developing the market. For example, holding a travel fair or signing contracts with local travel agents to promote Muslim-friendly itineraries to attract more visitors. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 政府推動觀光新南向，極力爭取東南亞旅客，其中，穆斯林旅客是重點開發客源，回教協會原本每年，都舉辦的"友善穆斯林導遊"培訓課程，去年以來，受到政策影響，報名人數倍增，還有旅行社爭取，開設專班。 會議室坐滿來上課的專業導遊，連不少資深導遊也來進修，這是回教協會每年都會舉辦的"友善穆斯林導遊"培訓課程，去年以來，政府力推新南向觀光，有廣大穆斯林客源的馬來西亞、印尼都是台灣積極開發的市場，也因此，培訓課程報名人數激增。 ==回教協會認證專員 蔡劼甫== 最近就從去年開始 每個梯次的報名人數 都是增加到25人到30人 有些旅行社會特地湊滿20個人 那我們特地幫他們 開一個專班這樣 培訓課程除了介紹穆斯林旅客特殊的飲食和禮拜習慣外，也提醒導遊們，穆斯林旅客偏好自然景點，較不青睞購物行程，台灣文明國際的夜市小吃，穆斯林旅客也因為飲食習慣不同，較少光顧，來參加課程的導遊認為，穆斯林的文化特殊，確實需要花時間養成友善旅遊環境。 ==導遊 張千讓== 回教國家伊斯蘭國家 我們的文化有很大的差異 所以 必須要孕育一段時間 讓他們對台灣有了解 截至今年三月初，全臺灣已經有104家獲得穆斯林認證餐旅單位，但資深導遊認為，光是認證餐旅，或是自願進修的導遊還不夠，觀光局必須更積極拓展市場，例如辦旅展，或是和當地旅行社簽約，推出穆斯林友善行程，才能招攬更多旅客。