Cross-Strait Rural Tourism Roundtable Kicks Off; Taiwanese Agricultural Products Win Over Mainland Visitors

▲ Taiwanese exhibitors bring a variety of local products to the Straits Tourism Expo, aiming to win over mainland visitors’ hearts with Made-in-Taiwan souvenirs. (Photo by reporter Chen Rui-zhong, same below)

Reported by Chen Rui-zhong / Xiamen

The 11th Straits Tourism Expo, jointly organized by China National Tourism Administration and the People’s Government of Fujian Province, kicked off today (May 7) in Xiamen with a series of related fringe events. First up is the Cross-Strait Rural Tourism Roundtable, which brings together government, industry, and academic representatives from both sides of the Strait, along with numerous exhibitors of specialty agricultural products. Taiwanese exhibitors also brought local specialties such as nougat and strawberry shortcake. Industry players expressed their desire to let mainland travelers experience Taiwan’s unique character through locally made delicacies.

▲ Photo 1515: The 11th Straits Tourism Expo kicked off today with the Cross-Strait Rural Tourism Roundtable.

What the mainland refers to as rural tourism is what Taiwan calls leisure agriculture. Taiwan began investing in leisure agriculture development plans 26 years ago, and has since diversified into specialty homestays, sightseeing and leisure experience activities, regional merchandise, and localized cuisine. Successful examples include Qingjing Farm and Yilan homestays. In recent years, the mainland has also actively developed specialty homestays and agricultural experiences to invigorate rural areas. In addition to promoting exchanges through events like cross-Strait rural tourism forums, delegations have also visited Taiwan for observation and learning.

At this year’s rural roundtable, in addition to experience-sharing by Qiu Yongzhong, chairman of the Beautiful Rural Villages Development Association of Taiwan, and Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy, homestay operators from both Taiwan and the mainland discussed topics such as the development and operational models of rural agriculture. The surrounding agricultural specialty product booths also attracted participants from both sides to sample and taste the offerings, with Taiwanese desserts and pastries drawing significant interest from mainland industry players.

▲ Taiwanese cakes and pastries received high praise from attendees at the event.

Xu Jin-rui, chairman of the Travel Quality Assurance Association of the Republic of China, who represented Taiwan at the roundtable, stated that the most successful foundation of Taiwan’s leisure agriculture development lies in “creativity” and deep “localization.” Most leisure agriculture operators are locals who leverage their intimate knowledge of their hometowns and use creativity to showcase local characteristics—not merely as investment projects by external companies. As a result, many independent travelers to Taiwan particularly enjoy leisure agriculture and

▲In recent years, the mainland has been actively developing its leisure and tourism industry, and the Cross-Strait Rural Tourism Roundtable Conference has attracted many industry participants.

Wang Hanrou, manager of Guan Gong Spicy Peanuts from Taiwan, also noted that although spicy peanuts are also available on the mainland, her brand uses peanuts from Beigang—plump, aromatic, and full of flavor—and she is confident that once mainland consumers try them, they will recognize the quality of Taiwanese agricultural products.

In addition to hosting the Cross-Strait Rural Roundtable Conference, the 11th Straits Tourism Expo this year has also featured a series of events starting from May 8, including a premium tourism exhibition, the Cross-Strait Tourism Cultural and Creative Products Competition, a tourism commodities exchange exhibition, and the China Maritime Silk Road Tourism Promotion Conference—all aimed at enhancing exchanges and interaction among tourism industry professionals across the strait.