Text by the MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network Editorial Team, compiled and reported

 

The Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau has been vigorously promoting rural tourism, coordinating with events such as the Meiling Firefly Season, Golden Shower Tree Flower Season, and the International Mango Festival to market the distinctive industries of various districts. Its approach to providing visitors with rural tourism 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. Their “Tainan Leisure Tour: Fruit Picking Fun at Xilaya Jiangnan Resort” was entered into the “Golden Quality Travel Itinerary Selection” organized by the Republic of China Travel Industry Quality Assurance Association (Quality Assurance Association) under the National Tourism category, and won the Golden Quality Travel Itinerary award for this year (2014).

Xianglin Travel Agency General Manager Xu stated that this award-winning itinerary represents another affirmation of Tainan’s tourism appeal. The previously awarded 2012 National Travel Gold Quality itinerary, “Tainan Leisure Tour: Happiness in the Salt Fields 999,” took into account western Taiwan’s salt fields, black-faced spoonbills, and Michelin-recommended attractions, planning the route around Tainan’s western coastal line. This year’s (2014) award-winning rural tourism itinerary specifically focuses on agricultural experience-based rural tourism resources along Tainan’s southern mountainous routes. The aim is to integrate and promote both the mountain and coastal tourism routes of southern Tainan, allowing more visitors to experience the charm of Tainan’s tourism.

The highlights of this award-winning itinerary allow for year-round participation in agricultural activities. Visitors can enjoy a rich variety of local produce such as jujubes (January–February), plums and star fruits (March–April), pineapples (April–October), lotus seeds (May–July), mangoes and longans (July–September), custard apples (August), pomelos (August–October), water caltrops (August–December), coffee beans, iyokan oranges, and mandarins (October–November), all waiting to be savored. The itinerary includes visits to various attractions arranged according to the seasonal availability of these produce items. These sites include the Jian Shan Pi Jiangnan Resort, rated as “excellent” by the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications; Xuankong Temple, which ranked first in the Religious 100 Sights poll and is located next to Taiwan’s longest suspension bridge; the Lutao Yang Jiang Family Ancestral House, one of the famous filming locations from the movie “The Thousand-Year-Old Shop”; and the Guidan Hot Spring Experience Pool, the only hot spring facility in Tainan operated by the municipal government. Paired with agricultural experience activities scheduled throughout the year, the overall itinerary is suitable for visitors of all ages. By incorporating related agricultural experience activities, it allows travelers to gain a deeper understanding of Tainan’s unique rural tourism offerings.

The Tainan City Government’s Tourism Bureau stated that this award-winning itinerary is a successful model of rural tourism development through collaboration with private entities. In the future, the Bureau will continue to work with more travel agencies, combining local cultural and industrial characteristics to develop themed tours that drive regional tourism and invigorate the local economy.

The “Tainan Leisure Tour: Fruit Picking Fun at Xilaya Jiangnan Resort” is priced at NT$1,700 per person (minimum 4–7 people, individual sign-ups accepted). The price includes transportation, guide services, insurance, admission tickets, lunch, and experience activities, but does not include accommodation. For inquiries, please contact Xianglin Travel Agency at 06-2656699. The itinerary may be adjusted based on the seasonal availability of agricultural experience activities. For more information, visit the Xianglin Travel Agency website. Welcome to Tainan to experience the joy of rural tourism!

 

 

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