Written / Compiled and Reported by the Editorial Team of MOOK Travel Life Network

 

The Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau has been vigorously promoting rural tourism, leveraging events such as the Meiling Firefly-Watching Season, the Golden Rain Tree Flower Season, and the International Mango Festival to market the unique industries of various districts. Its approach to providing tourists with rural travel experiences has received widespread acclaim. Xianglin Travel Agency, drawing on the concept of the experience economy, designed tour themes based on the agricultural specialties of different districts in the city. Its “One-Day Fruit-Picking Fun Tour at Xilaya Jiangnan Resort in Tainan” was entered into the “Golden Quality Tour Selection” organized by the Republic of China Travel Quality Assurance Association (TQAA) in the National Tourism category, and won the Golden Quality Tour award for this year (2014).

Xianglin Travel Agency General Manager Xu stated that this award-winning tour represents another affirmation of Tainan’s tourism appeal. The previously awarded 2012 National Travel Golden Quality tour, “Tainan Strolls Through the Salt Fields – Happiness 999,” was planned around the western coastal line of Tainan, taking into account tourist resources such as the western salt fields, black-faced spoonbills, and Michelin-recommended attractions. This year’s (2014) award-winning rural tourism tour focuses specifically on agricultural experiences and other rural tourism resources along Tainan’s southern mountain routes. The aim is to integrate and connect both the mountain and coastal tourism offerings of southern Tainan, allowing more visitors to experience the charm of Tainan’s tourism.

The highlights of this award-winning tour allow for year-round participation in agricultural activities. A rich variety of local produce awaits visitors to explore, including dates (January–February), plums and star fruit (March–April), pineapples (April–October), lotus seeds (May–July), mangoes and longans (July–September), custard apples (August), pomelos (August–October), water chestnuts (August–December), coffee beans, i* tangerines, and oranges (October–November). The tour route includes visits to various attractions arranged according to the seasonal availability of these produce items. These include the Jian Shan Pi Jiangnan Resort, rated as “excellent” by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications; Xuan Kong Temple, which ranked first in the Religious 100 Scenic Spots vote and is located next to Taiwan’s longest suspension bridge; the Lu Tao Yang Jiang Family Ancestral House, one of the famous filming locations from the movie “The Chef”; and the Guidan Hot Spring Experience Pool, the only hot spring facility in Tainan operated by the municipal government. With agricultural experiences available throughout the seasons, the tour is suitable for visitors of all ages. By incorporating related agricultural experience activities, the tour allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Tainan’s distinctive rural tourism.

The Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau stated that this award-winning tour is a successful example of public-private cooperation in developing rural tourism. In the future, it will continue to collaborate with more travel agencies to integrate local cultural and industrial characteristics, develop themed tours to boost regional tourism, and invigorate the local economy.

The “One-Day Fruit-Picking Fun Tour at Xilaya Jiangnan Resort in Tainan” is priced at NT$1,700 per person (minimum group size of 4–7 people, individual bookings accepted). The price includes transportation, guide services, insurance, entrance fees, lunch, and experience activities, but does not include accommodation. For inquiries, please call Xianglin Travel Agency at 06-2656699. The tour route may be adjusted based on the seasonal availability of agricultural experience activities. For more information, please visit the Xianglin Travel Agency website. Welcome to Tainan to experience the joy of rural tourism.

 

 

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