Travel combined with culture lasts longer. Ko Wen-je: Don't turn Taipei into Hong Kong!

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

The "Elite Club," composed of senior managers from major travel agencies in Taiwan, today (5th) invited Dr. Ko Wen-je, a physician from National Taiwan University, to give a speech. Regarding the long-term outlook of Taiwan's tourism industry, he stated that it should develop in-depth tourism by integrating local culture, saying, "Don't turn Taipei into Hong Kong!"


▲ Ko Wen-je appeared at the Elite Club formed by travel agencies and said not to turn Taipei’s tourism into that of Hong Kong. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-yin)

Ko Wen-je believes,Taiwan’s tourism should focus on high-price, low-volume models, integrating local culture to promote in-depth travel experiences, allowing visitors to stay longer and naturally increasing the resulting consumption benefits, rather than following a low-price, high-volume route.; He also mentioned that, looking solely at Taipei City, relocating the municipal government to the West District will not boost the tourism industry. Instead, preserving the traditional appearance of the West District and promoting a closer integration of culture and tourism can lead to sustainable development.

When answering a question from an ETtoday EBC News Cloud reporter about his philosophy and ideas on tourism, Ko Wen-je emphasized: "For example, holding various competitions at tourist attractions encourages people to take care of and protect the environment. Also, with the high density of temples of all sizes across Taiwan, if they can be well utilized and integrated into tourism, it can highlight local characteristics." He added: "Preserving history creates culture, culture enables more diverse tourism, and together they shape a cultural city."