Inbound Travel to Taiwan Only at 30% 日本觀光客已恢復5成 我國約僅達3成

Last week, the one-millionth tourist of the year arrived in Taiwan. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications says its target of six million tourists is within reach, but experts disagree.

Endless lines of travelers are waiting to check in at the airport. Since Taiwan lifted border controls last October, citizens have been flying out in droves. One travel agent says Taiwanese people's top three independent travel destinations are Tokyo, Bangkok and Osaka.

Lin Chao-chun, Travel Agent: “If you don't make your reservations ahead of time for popular destinations or travel times, you'll end up paying more if you can get a ticket at all.”

While outbound travel has already rebounded to 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels, inbound travel is only at around 30 percent. The government says it will resurrect tourism to Taiwan, but the reality is the industry is ill-prepared for this. For example, Taiwan has a shortage of tour bus drivers. In addition, port facilities and services are hugely inadequate. One example is currency exchange. When cruise ships dock in Taiwan, passengers have no way to exchange money.

Hsu Kuan-bin, Chair, Tourist Guide Association ROC: “All the cruise companies and tourists are actually being told, "Sorry, there is no currency exchange in Hualien." Do we not want tourists to spend money in Taiwan? And you're telling them, "Sorry, there's no way (to exchange money) because it's a long weekend." ”

Huang Jeng-tsung, Professor, Providence University: “Tourism to Taiwan is only at 30 percent of pre-pandemic levels, but outbound travel is up to 60 percent. This is what we have noticed, so the gap is widening.”

Experts say the gap between inbound and outbound travel is widening. In response, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications says it will improve the tourism environment with special funding and mechanisms. The ministry still claims six million tourists to Taiwan this year is more than possible.

Wang Kwo-tsai, Transportation and Communications Minister: “There is funding for the rapid expansion of a plan to attract tourists in the special budget. This will be a huge boost. We will promote Taiwan to individual tourists and group tours.”

The ministry says Japan was one of the top three tourist source countries to Taiwan before the pandemic and the Taiwan Visitors Association will go to Japan to promote travel products in April. It also says the Mainland Affairs Council will be in charge of talking with China about bringing Chinese tourists back to Taiwan.

機場報到櫃台，出國旅客大排長龍，邊境自去年10月解封以來，國人出國自由行已經恢復到疫情前的8到9成，旅遊業者觀察，東京、曼谷與大阪是3大自由行熱點。

旅遊業者林昭君表示：「大家在這半年在預訂機票的一個經驗來看，會發現到說如果一些熱門檔期，沒有提前預訂的話，其實很容易會買得比較貴，或者一位難求的狀況。」

相較國人出國踴躍，「來台觀光客」僅恢復到疫情前約3成，旅遊業者直言，政府喊著要復甦觀光，但是很多環節都還沒準備好，像是遊覽車司機人力不足，還有港埠設施也有很大問題，外籍旅客下船，居然發現不能換匯。

觀光導遊協會理事長許冠濱指出：「竟然告訴郵輪公司，告訴所有的客人，對不起花蓮沒辦法做匯兌的事宜，我們不是要郵輪的客人來台灣消費嗎？來用這些，他說沒有辦法，因為是連續假期。」

靜宜大學教授黃正聰表示：「入境的話大概現在只恢復到3成多而已，但是出境已經達到5、6成了，這個是我們注意到的這個現象，所以現在有比較大的觀光逆差。」

學者直言，出境多，入境少，觀光逆差將越來越大，交通部回應，會改善觀光環境，疫後特別預算也會有鼓勵國外客來台的機制，今年觀光客600萬人來台應該可以達標。

交通部長王國材說明：「我們現在特別預算裡面，有加速擴大吸引國際觀光客方案，這個也是一個強心劑，就是對於團客跟自由行會有一些促銷。」

交通部表示，日本客在疫情前，都是來台前3名的觀光客源，台灣觀光協會4月份，將到日本宣傳台灣旅遊商品，至於各界聚焦的中國觀光客何時解禁？則要看陸委會與中國方面的規劃。