Tourism and Recreation
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Tourism and Recreation Having gone through14 the evolution and integration of different cultures, Taipei has transformed into a diversified cultural city and also one that is full of surprises. With shopping, cultural creativity, delicacies, arts and literature, folk customs, and even simply a convenient life, one will definitely prolong their stay and want to come back again and again to feel the appeal of Taipei. There are new heartfelt experiences to be had for every traveler to Taipei. Yearbook 226 More than 7 million people traveled to Taiwan in 2012 and in 2013 that number reached 8.01 million. To cope with the increasing number of travelers, the Taipei City Government continued its efforts Tourism and to proactively create a comfortable travel environment, reinforce domestic and international marketing and promotion capability, and 14Recreation provide travelers with better quality services so that all travelers to Taipei, the city in Taiwan with the highest portion of international visitors, can enjoy their stay and feel the charm of the city. Part1 A Thoughtful Environment to Make Travelling Easy 1 . Understanding the Needs of facility where the audience can watch movies. The new film “Moments in Taipei,” completed Travelers and Providing Friendly in 2013, guides visitors through the historical Services highlights of Taipei and helps them see what The Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei looked like at different points in time. In Taipei City Government, has been conducting 2013, the display spaces on the first and third the “Annual Survey Report on Visitors floors were renovated. The Taipei Impression Expenditure and Trends in Taipei City” through Hall on the first floor features a giant silkscreen an outside contractor since July 2012, in order and modern projection technology to display to know why people travel to Taipei, where the infinite charm of changing Taipei. The City they go, their spending status while they stay Discovery Hall on the third floor, on the other in Taipei, their impression of Taipei, as well as hand, features Express City- A Relaxed Journey their satisfaction with the hotels they stay at. and covers the characteristics of Taipei and The results will help plan and improve tourism local travel and tourism highlights. The special facilities as well as service quality. The survey exhibition hall on the second floor housed three results were released for the first time in March special exhibitions in 2013: “Moments in Taipei,” 2013: Taipei became one of the cities most “LOOK TAIPEI – Taipei Travel Postcards,” and frequently visited in Taiwan by international “Sleepless in Taipei.” Altogether, the three travelers (up to 87.74%); the overall satisfaction exhibitions attracted more than 90,000 visitors. rate respondents had with hotels they stayed at in Taipei was up to 82.43%; and their favorite 3. Visitor Information Center “i” Top 5 sightseeing spots in 2012 were National Service Palace Museum, Ximending, Taipei 101, The Department of Information and Tourism Longshan Temple, and night markets. has established visitor information centers and 2. Taipei's First Stop – The Discovery Center of Taipei The Discovery Center of Taipei, located inside the city hall building, is the window into the City of Taipei for Taipei citizens and tourists. It guides visitors through the past, present, and future of Taipei through the exhibitions and vivid scenarios in an interactive way. The Discovery Theater on the fourth floor offers a 360° circular Taipei Pineapple Cake Cultural Festival 227 Friendly guiding sticker makes you feel Taipei’s “Sleepless in Taipei” Special Exhibition opening ceremony thoughtfulness. visitor centers at transport hubs and tourist sites consecutive year at the top since 2009. The to link Taipei City’s travel service networks and visitor information center at the East Metro Mall strengthen travel information services. There also won first place in the individual category. are a total of 9 visitor information centers, one at Former individual winners included the visitor each at Taipei Main Station, Songshan Airport, information center at the MRT Ximen Station in MRT Taipei 101/World Trade Center Station, 2011 and that at the Taipei Main Station in 2012. Taipei City Hall Bus Station, East Metro Mall, This was the third year in a row for Taipei to win MRT Jiantan Station, MRT Beitou Station, MRT the first place in both the group and individual Ximen Station, and MRT Yuanshan Station; 4 categories. tourist centers at Miramar Entertainment Station, Plum Garden Station, Gondola Taipei Zoo 4. Training City Tour Guides Station, and Gondola Maokong Station; and 6 The Department of Information and Tourism visitor information stations at Zhangshan Temple held the 2013 City Tour Guide Training Program Station, Gondola Zhinan Temple Station, Taipei for guides at important sightseeing spots, those Children’s Recreation Center, Taipei 101, Grand holding professional certificates, and staff at View Resort Beitou, and URS44 Dadaocheng visitor information centers in Taipei. The program Studio. There were 1,660,000 people making consisted of both indoor and field activities and inquiries and taking advantage of these covered an introduction to the characteristics services in 2013. Around 3,330,000 sightseeing of Taipei as a diversified city from a practical documents were issued, and a headcount of perspective. The program also reinforced the more than 6,950,000 people made inquiries at skills and knowledge of field guides about the above stations. important and symbolic sightseeing spots in The “Friendly Guiding Sticker”, introduced Taipei. The 3 rounds of the training program had on April 18, 2013, has enabled travelers who a total of 210 participants. In addition, 3 rounds were lost or trying to transfer between public of the Taipei City Tour Experience were held in transportation tools in Taipei to seek assistance December, led by guides who had completed from Taipei citizens or ask nearby residents or the foregoing training program. conductors for directions to arrive safely at their destination. The Taipei Visitor Information Center was 5. Constructing All-Round Cloud ranked first place in a national appraisal of Mobile Sightseeing Services visitor center service quality conducted by the To reflect the increasing mobile travel Tourism Bureau, Minister of Transportation trend and to diversify the international tourism and Communications in 2013, marking its 5th perspectives of Taipei so that prospective Yearbook 228 travelers to Taipei can gain virtual travel recommended itineraries, delicacies and experiences and comprehensive tourism cuisines, and a travel map of Taipei. information, the following sightseeing services The Go Taipei foldout that is issued from have been provided: time to time and introduces the whole of Taipei in 4 languages, Chinese, English, Japanese, (1) Cloud Guided Tours and Korean, enables domestic and international A. Cloud guide systems are established and travelers to have an overview of classic promoted. sightseeing spots in Taipei. To promote local B. 720°panoramic view functions are tourism in areas such as Maokong, Bangka, installed at sightseeing spots in Taipei. and Beitou, the Department also added foldouts such as the following: the Maokong: A Golden (2) Mobile Voice-Guided Tours Journey to the Emerald Peaks brochure in A. Fixed-spot mobile voice-guided tours are English and Japanese; the Bangka-Beginning provided. of a Creative Journey in Chinese, English, and B. Mobile itinerary cloud guided tours are Japanese; and Discovering the Hot Springs provided. and Beauties of Beitou brochure in Chinese, English, and Japanese. All are meant to guide (3) Cloud DIY Itinerary Service travelers through characteristic sightseeing Function – DIY Itinerary spots in Taipei with their diversified and enriched contents. In addition, the City Star Hunter - Taipei The cloud sightseeing integration system Celebrity Tour pamphlet was also reformatted combines simulated and practical services (new and released. It is the first pamphlet that also guide-map signs and the Taiwan Tourist Shuttle combines discounts offered by stores and service Beitou Zhuzihu Route) as well as audio restaurants owned by celebrities. services (mobile audio guided tours) and visual The Department also released the Taipei services (the virtual reality tour guide system Pass at the exhibition hall) so that everyone visiting brochure in December 2013 to promote city Taipei can experience the excellent travel tourism and encourage more unrestricted visitors service. The 720° panoramic view feature and to tour Taipei via the city’s fast and convenient cloud DIY itinerary service make it possible to public transportation system. The brochure is provide more convenient value-added services. distributed with the purchase of a Taipei Pass ticket, which entitles the holder to unlimited rides 6. Providing Diversified Travel on the Taipei Metro and Taipei City/New Taipei City buses during the valid period. Brochures Materials were printed in Chinese, English, and Japanese To promote travel information throughout editions. The brochures introduce various Taipei, the Department of Information and themed tours and include coupons for discounts Tourism publishes Taipei Pictorial on a monthly on visitor attractions, souvenir gifts, shops, and basis, through which Taipei citizens and travelers hotels, ensuring travelers have a smooth tour of in Taipei can keep track of important information Taipei. on living in