Tourism planning Taiwan

8/7/2019 Tourism planning Taiwan

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RURAL TOURISM: A CASE STUDY OFREGIONAL PLANNING IN TAIWAN

Wen-Ching HongDivision Chief, Agricultural Bureau,

Nantou County Government660, Chung Hsing Rd., Nantou City, Taiwan

ABSTRACT

Rural tourism has become a new type of agricultural management in Taiwan which helpsfarmers break through current management difficulties for small farms. It has two major

purposes. The first is to provide leisure and recreation for the public. The second is to increasefarmers incomes.This Bulletin discusses rural tourism in Nantou county, located in the central part of

Taiwan. In 1996, Nantou county completed its comprehensive plan for rural tourism. The planproposed five major development projects in thirty-five potential tourism areas. Activities includethe traditional Chinese tea ceremony, digging for bamboo shoots, handiwork with bamboo, fruit picking, etc. Recreational activities (such as visits to waterfalls and enjoying local foods) areintegrated into the rural tourism program.

INTRODUCTION

Over the past ten years, rural tourismhas become a new type of agriculturalmanagement in Taiwan. At present, there aretwo different development models. One is for government projects that are supported by thecentral government. Such projects ask for theopinion of local government and farmer associations, and also consult farmers to seehow willing they are to participate. To applyfor financial support, a project has to followthe regulations governing rural tourism. Theother model is a commercial project supportedby a companys own budget. This usuallytakes the form of what is called a leisurefarm. Although the number of leisure farmsin Taiwan is increasing, most of them belongto commercial companies. An additional 31leisure farms have been planned asgovernment projects, but less than half are inoperation right now.

Rural tourism has become an essentialpart of agricultural development, especiallynow that Taiwan adopted in 1998 a policy of

two days off every other week.

Rural tourism has a positive impact onagricultural development, farmers incomes andthe standard of living in rural areas.However, one important issue is how to reacha consensus among local government, farmersassociations, and individual farmers on whatkind of projects to promote, and how theyshould be funded and operated. Rebuildingfarmers faith in agriculture while Taiwanparticipates in the World Trade Organization(WTO) is an urgent task right now. Webelieve that a combination of rural tourismand leisure farms provides a good opportunityfor farmers to meet this challenge.

The implementation of rural tourismshould use leisure as a way of achievingagriculture development. Agriculture is thefirst aspect to be considered. This is thenintegrated with natural scenery, other touristattractions and local culture. Rural tourismensures benefits for farmers, but does notfocus only on nature and the environment. Itis also customer-oriented, and tries to providean excellent service for visitors.

Keywords: Development plan, environmental impact, exhibitions, leisure farms, leisure programs,Nantou county, rural tourism


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PLANNING FOR RURAL TOURISM

Each year, the central governmentallocates funds for counties that are willing topromote the development of rural tourism.Each county will then consider the planningapplications based upon the particular agricultural specialities of that county, and thepreferences of local farmers associations.Budget allocations are from the top-down.The content of proposed projects is from thebottom-up. However, some local farmersassociations also propose a correspondingbudget to enhance their involvement inplanning rural tourism.

The planning process consists of: first,

discussion of aims; then the analysis of relevant laws and regulations; thirdly, theevaluation of the potential of different areasand activities for agricultural tourism; fourthly,the selection of important categories and areasfor detailed programs; fifthly, detaileddevelopment plans for different zones, andfinally, an analysis of the economic returnsand other benefits. The whole planningprocedure is shown in Fig. 1.

Nantou county, located in the centralpart of Taiwan, will be used as a case study

in this Bulletin. Nantou is a typicalagricultural county with very little industry.Its resources include high-quality agriculturalproducts, diverse landscapes and excellentwater. Furthermore, seasonal changes add tothe tourism potential of Nantou county. Thereare flowers and new leaves in spring, colorfulmaples in autumn, and snow in winter.

The total area of Nantou county is about401,600 ha, of which about 134,500 ha areused for agricultural production. More thanhalf the total population is involved inagriculture, including the production of rice,betelnut, tea, tobacco, sugarcane, vegetables,fruits and flowers. In 1996, Nantou countycompleted a comprehensive plan for ruraltourism. This plan integrated many factors,including agricultural specialties, rural villages,and the natural environment. The planningproject for the county was executed byprofessional researchers who spent one year onthis task.

Their plan proposed five major development concepts (Table 1) and 35potential development areas. All areas weredivided into three classes. (i.e., A, B, or Caccording to their priority). Thirteen areaswere assigned to class A. In addition, NantouCounty is planning to develop rural tourism infour towns and their surrounding areas. Twoof these towns, Luku and Hsinyi, already havea range of tourism activities. Around Luku,attractions include a tour of tea-growing areas,visits to cultural and historic sites, andbamboo and edible wild vegetables (Fig. 2).Around Hsinyi, tourists are drawn to plumorchards, vineyards, vegetable and flower farms and tea plantations (Fig. 3). Both

towns are now improving their touristfacilities, including walking trails throughbeautiful scenery (Figs. 4, 5).

The famous agricultural products of Lukuare tea and bamboo shoots. Rural villagesnear the town are full of characteristic oldbuildings, and there are many kinds of traditional handicrafts. Meanwhile, farmershave been using their farmers associations toorganize leisure activities such as tours of teaor bamboo growing areas, and banquets withtea and music. Tourists taking part in these

tours are able to experience variousagricultural practices such as drying tea, teaceremony, digging bamboo shoots, andbamboo handicrafts. The farmers associationsalso arrange farm stays for visitors.

Hsinyi is well located on the new cross-island highway from the west to the eastcoast, and lies close to Jade Mountain, thehighest mountain in Taiwan. The localculture of the (pre-Chinese) mountain* people,and spectacular local waterfalls are also major tourist attractions. As in Luku, the localfarmers association has organized a number of tourist activities centred around agriculturalproducts such as Jade Mountain tea, plums,grapes, and bitter tea oil. Leisure programscover a tour of plum production areas,including plum blossom in the spring, and adisplay of dancing and music by mountainpeople. Natural resources (such as forest,waterfalls and hot springs), add to theenjoyment of tourists who come to the area.

* Mountain people: People related to the Malays, living in Taiwan since ancient times,

before the arrival of the Chinese. (Ed.).


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Aims of planning

* Origin of proposal* Principal goals of plan

Development of rural tourism

* Issues of development* Important categories (items)* Primary regions for development

* Definition of projects* Planning facilities* Planning management* Planning for environmental management* Planning of transportation system* Planning for introduction of visitors

Analysis of development of potential

* Agricultural management* Agricultural characteristics* Farmers' willingness to participate* Estimated no. of visitors

Managing organization,Regulations

Cost -benef it ana lysis Executive p lanning by stage, by zone Source of funds

Fig. 1. Planning procedure for rural tourism

Resource analysis

* Natural environment* Cultural environment* Industrial environment* Recreational environment

Related laws and regulations

Detailed development planning

Conclusion


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Table 1


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Table 1


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Table 2. Activities and facilities in different zones

Zone Activity Facilities

Areas for picking wild vegetables, Picking wild vegetables Explanations and maps onsightseeing signboards, paths, restrooms

Areas to experience agricultural life Traditional agricultural Explanations and maps onand culture of mountain people activities, tours, signboards, paths, restrooms

Trout fishing Ecology of trout, fishing, Parking area,eating of cooked trout landscape beautification

Exhibition of agricultural products Selling agricultural Service center for sellngproducts, traditional agricultural products andculture of traditional craftsmountain people

Meals made from local specialties Tasting and knowing Noticeboards, parking area,how to cook with service center, landscapelocal special ingredients beautification

Farmstays Staying with local Noticeboards, parking area,people landscape beautification,

improvement of accommodation facilities

Waterfall areas Sight-seeing at water- Noticeboards, landscapefalls, often with butterflies beautification, parking areas

Cultural area of mountain people Exhibition of culture, Explanations and maps on(Buson tribe) dancing, traditional signboards, exhibition center,

festivals museum, festivals,parking areas

Natural landscape area Cli mbi ng, hiking Paths, noticeboards to signalroute and warn of anydangers

Heritage area Heritage interpretation, Explanations and maps ontelling of folk stories signboards, setting out of

tourist route

PLANNING OF RURAL TOURISM

While there are some geographic andother differences between Luku and Hsinyi,the planning of rural tourism in each areawas very similar.

Putting up Signboards

Signboards are necessary to show touristswhat attractions are present and how to reachthem. They are also needed to provide an

explanation at the site. When deciding the

position and design of a signboard, we mustconsider its educational function. Warningsigns where caution is needed must be set up,to ensure visitors safety.

Establishing Exhibition Places

Exhibitions can be divided into dynamicdisplays and static displays. Some generalitems suitable for display are characteristicagricultural products, folk heritage, and folk crafts. The type of display is dependent upon

the budget and land available.


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0 1 2 3 km

Fig. 2. Areas with development priority in Luku

Development area for farming activities

Development area for bambooand edible wild vegetables

Development area for tea tours and farmstay

Development areas for Cultural and

Historical Activities


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Area of plumorchard

Recuperativefarm area

Areas of grapeorchard

Areas of vegetableand flower garden

Areas of teaplantation

Enjoying thesight of flowers,

tasting plums

Picking grapes Experience of county life

Picking tea

1. Farm activities2. Farmstay3. Waterfalls4. Culture of

mountain(Bunon) people

5. Historicalactivities

1. Sight-seeing2. Hiking3. Farm

experience

1. Farm activities2. Farmstay3. Culture of

mountainpeople

1. Tea plantationactivities

2. Tea ceremony3. Farmstay

Cultural activitiesof mountain people

Main developmentareas

Characteristics

Subdivision

Fig. 3. Areas in Shinyi given priority in development

Areas of plum orchard

Areas of vegetable and flower garden

Areas of tea plantation

Areas of grape orchard

Recuperative farm area

0 2 4 6 km


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0 0.2 0.5 km

Carpark

Carpark

Carpark

Carpark

Deck for

sight-seeing

D o n g D i n g T r a i l

Fig. 4. Proposed tourist route system for Luku Township

Introducing theceremony andmaking of theChiLin Trail

Ancient tea bush

Shed

Introducing thehistory of DongDingHill and healthyliving withtea-making

Farmstay Catering


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Farmstays

Fig. 5. Detailed zoning of rural tourism in Shinyi Township

0 2 4 6 8 10 km

Nature study area

Historic area

Nature study area

Farming activity area

Cultural area of mountain

Waterfall area

Frmstays


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Brochures

A good brochure for tourists providesinformation about different tourist facilities,including farm inns, restaurants and their prices.

Performances and Competitions

Performances and competitions canreinforce rural culture as well as providing aninteresting event for visitors. Some examplesare competitions to produce the best-qualitytea or plums, the traditional Chinese teaceremony, tea parties with music, and plumbanquets.

Souvenirs:

Clothes or hats with a local logo can bea good souvenir for rural tourists. Localhandicrafts are also a valid tool of promotion,and earn extra income for local people.

Promoting Recreational Routes

A tourist route which passes touristfarms and other attractions should be

designated for visitors. Railroad stations, busstations, bus stops and shopping areas can beused for the promotion of rural tourism, withposters and photographs, in order to attractvisitors.

The planning of rural tourism in Lukuand Hsinyi covers natural and culturalresources, land use, willingness of farmers toparticipate, potential number of visitors andadjacent recreational spots. After analyzingthe above items, planning budgets wereassigned for different areas and periods of time. An environmental impact assessmentwas also carried out. Both townshipsqualified for leisure agriculture development bythe central government. The first and seconddevelopment stages have been completed inboth townships. Because of the positiveresponse from local farmers, tourism not onlyincreased the profitability of agriculture, buthas also provided the general public with newrecreational outlets.

In Luku, tea is the major crop andoccupies the largest area of agricultural land.Other important crops include bamboo shoots

and wild celery. With its mild weather (annual average temperatures are 23C), Lukutownship offers recreational opportunities allyear round. Shinyi is located in the centralmountain range, and its peak tourist season isduring the summer.

As in most of Taiwans agriculturalcommunities, the farmers association is themost important organization, both in Luku andShinyi. In each town, the farmers' associationwas used as the executive organization for developing and promoting rural tourism.Tourism farms with accommodation arebecoming common in both areas.

The reasons why these two townshipshave been so active in the development of

rural tourism are as follows: Both have a well-organized farmers

association, with a good financialfoundation and full support from farmers.

Both have natural resources which attracttourists from the city, including forestedmountains, bamboo forest, waterfalls, hikingtrails, and cultural monuments. They arequite different from other recreational areas,and provide a diversity of recreationalexperiences.

Farmers associations choose high-profit

items and integrate supporting programs.For instance, local tea markets andexhibitions of tea, community celebrations,religious ceremonies, and farmers fairs for promoting products are used as part of therural tourism program.

There are well-organized structures for administering rural tourism (Fig. 6). Eachtownship has its own operating committeeto integrate all activities related to ruraltourism (Fig. 7). The committee is dividedinto different section for restaurants,farmstays etc. These committees helpfarmers plan and operate efficient tourismfarms.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF RURAL TOURISM

As in most countries, rural tourism inTaiwan is varied, reflecting diverse localresources and customs. Each type of leisureagriculture has a different impact on theenvironment.


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Central government

Farmers' association

Management committee for rural tourism

C ommi t t ee f or f ar mi ng ac t i v i t i es

C ommi t t ee f or d ev el opi ng b amb oo and ed i b l e wi l d v eget ab l es

C ommi t t ee f or d ev el opi ng t our s of t ea

pl ant at i ons and f ar ms t ay s

Fig. 6. Main organizations involved in management of rural tourism

Citizen Farms

In this type of farm, city dwellers sharea small plot of land and cultivate it duringweekends and holidays. It allows urbanpeople to share in farming activities and enjoythe country landscape. Citizen farms shouldfollow production methods which protect theenvironment.

Sightseeing Farms

Sightseeing farms emphasize participationin the agricultural production experience andrecreational activities. There is acomparatively sight impact on the environment.However, it is important that farmers practicelow-pollution production methods such asorganic farming, in order to guarantee thesafety of visitors.


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Administrative management

Promotion

Environmental Management

Accounting

Financial management

Personnel

Planning of activities

Services for visitor

Agricultural production

Cultural displays etc.

Sanitation

Resource protection andmaintenance of facilities

Construction and development

Monitoring section

Fig. 7. Divisions of Committee for Rural Tourism (Township level)

Educational Farms

Agricultural production, farming life, andthe experience of rural culture are key pointsin educational farms. Such farms have littleimpact on the environment. However, theyshould pay attention to the safety of recreational facilities.

Health Farms

Health farms are where city dwellersstay to recover their health, often after anillness or operation. The main attractions arethe natural landscape and farm accommo-

dation. The safety aspect of sight-seeing,

including warning signs where appropriate,should receive careful attention. In order topreserve the beauty of the landscape,ecological and related aspects should beconsidered when developing physical facilitiesor cutting forest.

Rural tourism does not encouragedevelopment on a large scale. On leisurefarms where tourists share agricultural work, itis important for managers to use chemicalpesticides and fertilizers carefully. A better way would be to implement organicagriculture. As to the disposal of sewage andother wastes, managers should follow theregulations of environment protection, to avoid

environmental pollution caused by too many

Planning section Executive section


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The implementation period is usually fiveyears. The government also provides low-interest loans for farmers develop tourismfarms, provided they can meet all theregulations.

CONCLUSION

Rural tourism is becoming popular inTaiwan among both farmers and visitors. Itis becoming a new type of agriculturalmanagement for farmers. In view of theimpact on farm incomes from internationalfree trade, it is important to help farmersincrease the profitability of their farms, aswell as improving the quality of rural life.

Looking at the effect of rural tourism inNantou county, not only has there been adevelopment of tourist farms around Luku andShinyi, but also local communities have beenrevitalized. The potential of rural tourism toattract visitors is strong, especially now thatTaiwan is implementing a policy of two daysoff every other week. In future, the 35recreational spots of Nantou county will beconnected into a complete network which willintegrate farmers, rural villages, andagriculture.

visitors.In order to manage rural tourism

efficiently, the government gathers opinionsfrom farmers associations and other organizations. When plans are submitted, thegovernment checks each project item by item.Items checked include land ownership, tourismpotential, water and soil conservation,environmental protection, construction permits,and the impact on agriculture and forestry.During the process of implementation, thegovernment holds several public meetings toexplain the program to farmers, and makesure that farmers associations, and farmersfollow the necessary regulations.

These regulations include safety

precautions, pollution control, sanitation,hygiene for cooked meals and processedfoods, and recreational quality. Through thesuccessful implementation of rural tourism, theenvironment for producing and selling will beimproved.

Once the tourist project has received allits legally required permits, the localgovernment applies for funds from the centralgovernment to cover the cost of development.Sometimes farmers associations propose acorresponding budget from their own funds.

DISCUSSION

Mr. Hong was asked how priorities were decided when development areas are given apriority (A, B or C). On what basis is this decided? Is it the local resources which are thedeciding factor, or the profitability, or is there some other factor? Mr. Hong replied that thereare three considerations: the local resources (including the landscape, special products and thetransport network); farmers willingness to participate; and the extent of support from localfarmers associations.

Several participants were interested in the professional researchers who had carried out thetask of preparing the countys rural tourism plan. One participant asked whether they acted asconsultants, to give advice to local planners, or whether they were hired to do the whole planningproject. Mr. Hong replied that they were hired on an annual contract which was funded by thecentral government.

Tourism planning Taiwan

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