Tourism's latest target: backpackers

This article was written by Steven Crook and published by the Taiwan Journal on March 16, 2007. It features various Westerners in Taiwan who help providing tourism infrastructure for international backpackers. Many of these people are successful because they know what their clients expect. They also have the local knowledge and contacts to provide what their customers want.

For example, the "Step Out in Taiwan Café" was opened in 2005 and has been developing "Step Out in Taiwan Adventures" since 2006. The cafe offers paragliding training and flights, kayaking, bike tours and rentals, river hikes, waterfall excursions, picnics, mountain trips and outdoor barbecue activities. About 90 percent of the cafe's accommodation business is for international visitors.

Another business, "Green Island Adventures", specializes in bringing international tourists to Green Island, a small volcanic island off Taiwan's southeastern coast. Other tailor-made tours around Taiwan are also offered. About 70 percent of the business's clients are Westerners who came to Taiwan for short visits, such as those on business trips, work assignments or visiting friends and relatives.

According to this article, Westerners who run tourism businesses in Taiwan face various obstacles, such as difficulties in borrowing money or buying land. The language barrier is another problem. Nonetheless, many Westerners are determined to develop their careers here because "we've taken our own outdoor interests and turned them into something that can be profitable and fun. We get paid to have fun. We do for a living what we love to do".

Other Westerners in Taiwan manage accommodations such as bed-and-breakfast establishments. For instance, the "Bamboo Bridge" was opened in 2006 and has since experienced good success. Its guests include both international and local visitors. The hosts have long learned to coordinate with Taiwan's tourism events such as music festivals and bird watching seasons. Working closely with local tourism authorities is also useful.

Still other businesses operated by Westerners in Taiwan include "FreshTreks", which was established in 2002 and specializes in outdoor adventure activities. At first, 80 percent of its clients were international visitors. Now, 70 to 80 percent of its business comes from international and local companies that organize day and weekend activities for their employees. These activities aim to reward employees and to build up team spirit and leadership.

This article concludes by pointing out that Western entrepreneurs such as those operate in Taiwan have helped close the gap that kept international visitors from partaking in all that the island has to offer. With access to services like those introduced above, both international and local visitors can get on with enjoying their trips throughout Taiwan.