Diving deeper
In 2019, through AVEDA Taiwan founder Chu Ping, Chen invited the internationally known diving travel expert Simon Pridmore to come to Taiwan for a round-the-island diving tour and to write the book Dive into Taiwan. The group traveled to the Northeast Coast, Hengchun, Orchid Island (Lanyu), the Penghu Islands, Xiaoliuqiu, and Green Island (Lüdao). Chen describes the special features of these six major diving locations in Taiwan: The Northeast Coast is ideal for short-term business visitors to Taipei, as it is easy to get there and back in a day. Hengchun is the place with the greatest abundance of tourism resources, as visitors can see nature and visit historic sites, and there is fun for both young and old. “The headline at Xiaoliuqiu is that there is a 90% chance of seeing sea turtles,” he says. Meanwhile at Orchid Island there is visibility of 40 meters to the ocean floor, and there is a rich local indigenous culture that will give travelers a new perspective on Taiwan. The Penghu Islands have extremely high coral reef coverage, and there are many sunken vessels to dive down to, so that these islands are suited to multiple dives. Finally, Green Island was once ranked as one of the world’s top ten diving sites, so it is also a can’t-miss destination.
This journey caused Chen to reassess the scope of “marine tourism.” He concluded, “We have to package Taiwan from a global point of view.” Originally the Northeast Coast was not part of the itinerary, but Pridmore explained that the majority of visitors to Taiwan are business travelers who stop over in Taipei. They only have a day or two of free time, so the Northeast Coast is their best option for trying out diving in Taiwan. Moreover, foreign divers should not only be introduced to Taiwan’s sea, but Taiwan’s customs and culture should also be incorporated into marine tourism.
Pridmore also pointed out that at present Taiwan is only suited to backpack travelers, as there is a lack of overall planning. High-end diving itineraries should include arrangements for transportation, accommodations, food, diving, and marine guide services. Chen also took note of the professional attitude of Pridmore’s wife Sofie Hostyn. She has provided services to high-end diving tourists in Bali, Indonesia, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of marine ecology. Customers can get immediate answers from her to their questions about ocean life forms, satisfying their curiosity. Only by providing such expert services can one differentiate oneself in the market.
These ideas for upgrading his business have encouraged Chen to think beyond diving to broadening and deepening services for the larger field of marine tourism. Chen is proud of having dived in various countries and seen things like the astonishing barracuda “tornados” in the waters near Sipadan Island in Malaysia. But these days what he enjoys most is playing in the sea with his son. “I hope that Taiwan will become a destination for international divers, so that more foreigners can get to know Taiwan through diving. At the same time this will keep more young people here, and like me they can live and work with peace of mind.” This is what Chen most wants to achieve.
Barracuda off Hengchun. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)