What Tourists Love Best

Ask some tourists in Taiwan what their favorite sightseeing activity is, and you're likely to hear "Going to Snake Alley." And with reason. There are the peddlers and performers, the plethora of regional foods, the red-light district. But, most of all, there are those venomous, hissing snakes. Some of the visitors from Hong Kong and Japan are sure to open their wallets, buy some Chinese medicine, and drink some "snake soup". Most of the Europeans and Americans will just look around.

If going to Snake Alley is the favorite off-the-record tourist activity on Taiwan, what is the official favorite? According to the Ministry of Communications' Tourism Bureau, the "Report on the 1985 ROC Survey on Tourism" concluded that "enjoying scenery" is the favorite activity among visitors to the island. The favorite spots are familiar to the ear: Taroko Gorge, Yangming Mountain, Sun Moon Lake, and Chengching Lake.

Taroko Gorge is favored for its strange formations, Sun Moon Lake for its gentle beauty. The unique cultures of the areas' aborigines is another factor in the attraction they hold for tourists.

Looking at this list it is obvious that the foreign tourists' knowledge of scenic spots relies on outdated information, and that recently developed scenic areas, such as the northern and eastern coasts and Orchid Island have not been sufficiently promoted abroad. This, in the end, is a great loss for the tourists themselves.

"Eating Chinese food" ranks number two on the tourists' list of favorite activities. However, among Japanese, who comprise the largest group of foreign tourists, eating Chinese food ranks number one. This is hard to understand at first, because Japan is filled with Chinese restaurants. Also, because of its proximity to China, the quality of Chinese food in Japan is very high.

A Chinese who lived in Japan explains the reason: Even though Chinese food is common in Japan, it is unusually expensive. In Tokyo, for example, an average Chinese meal will cost each diner at least US$35.

As for Europeans and Americans, their interest in eating Chinese food here is more understandable. Outside of London, New York, and other major cities, most westerners' experience of Chinese food is limited to eating chop suey and chow mein. These dishes, moreover, are hardly representative of Chinese cooking.

Arriving in Taiwan with this kind of background, most Westerners are not ready to accept some kinds of Chinese food, like eel or sea slugs. Hunan cooking most easily suits their tastes, and Mongolian hot-pot and Peking duck are also favorites.

Chinese travel groups are often referred to as "shopping groups." The same could be said for groups visiting Taiwan. Shopping ranks third on the list of tourists' favorite activities. According to statistics, whereas 16 percent of tourists' expenditures is on food, 34 percent is on shopping.

What do foreign tourists buy? Topping the list is food products; second is handicrafts; then come tea, clothes, and jewelry.

Japanese visitors seem to especially enjoy returning home with a box of "Hsin Tung-Yang" dried pork, caviar, or pineapple under their arms. Recently they have become very popular gifts.

As for handicrafts, the Taiwan Handicrafts Center has found its reproductions of Chinese antique porcelain to be immensely popular among tourists. Besides these, Japanese appear to be most fond of coral and agate; Americans prefer Taiwan jade, Europeans have recently become interested in Cochin pottery; and visitors from the Middle East have shown a liking for wood-carvings.

Chinese culture remains a point of great interest among many tourists. One half of all visitors to Taiwan are between the ages of 30 and 49 years old; 44 percent of them are college graduates. As a result, a large number of them are interested in visiting museums and historical sites. The National Palace Museum, with a collection of hundreds of thousands of relics of Chinese culture, remains the biggest shrine for cultural pilgrims. Visiting Taipei without going to the National Palace Museum is as great a pity as going to London without visiting the British Museum. While 18 percent of all tourists go to Taroko Gorge, and 14 percent to Yang-ming Mountain, a full 49 percent visit the National Palace Museum.

Different nationalities have different areas of cultural interest. Generally speak ing, the Japanese, who are relatively well-versed in Chinese culture, are most fond of painting and calligraphy, and exhibit exceptionally good taste in regard to the latter. Among the Americans and Europeans better educated in Chinese culture, most prefer porcelain, whereas the average visitors are most interested in the rare curios, ivory balls, and such.

As for historical sites and temples, the most popular are Chunglieh Temple, Lung-shan Temple, and the Confucius Temple. The Martyrs' Shrine and the Confucius Temple, both 20th-century structures, are well worth a visit. And the Lungshan Temple, built 150 years ago, is a masterpiece of late-period Taiwanese architecture.

As with scenic areas, however, most foreigners seem to be choosing their temple sights from outdated guidebooks. For example, two recently restored sites, the Lin Antai House and the Lin Family Flower Garden, are both fine examples of traditional Chinese architecture, and are both located conveniently near Taipei. Recently, some far-seeing tourist agencies have begun answering the call of many Japanese tourists and have begun arranging "Taiwan historic sites trips," on which an expert accompanies the tour group to explain the various sites to the tourists.

Most tourists spend three to seven nights on Taiwan. During this time they eat some Chinese food, see some sights, do some shopping, and perhaps enjoy some Chinese culture. Besides taking home some souvenirs, what memories will they take back with them?

According to surveys, the thing visitors remember most from a trip to Taiwan is the friendliness of the people. Second is the safety. Of course, the food, sights, and cultural exhibitions all left their mark. What about the bad side? Most visitors are bothered by the dirt and waste, and by the traffic. One article was left off the list, an omission which will most effect American and European women, many of whom love the sun in Taiwan, and find the practice of Chinese women of carrying a sun parasol quite strange. To bring back memories of that bright hot sun, why not take home a "Made In Taiwan" parasol as a souvenir?

Analysis of Tourists' Activities of Interest

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Table of Items Purchased by Tourists

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National Origin of Visitors

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Source: Ministry of Communications' Tourism Bureau

[Picture Caption]

"So this is Chiang Kai-shek Airport!" After locating the correct hotel, travellers can begin their "Formosa holiday." (photo by Arthur Jeng)

At Taipei's Snake Alley, the night is still young. All around, tourists are taking in the snake-killing feats.

At the Chinese Handicraft Mart, two tourists start taking an interest in some copies of antiques. (photo by Arthur Jeng)

Porcelain is one kind of artwork that holds great interest for pilgrims to the National Palace Museum.

Sun Moon Lake is Central Taiwan's most coveted tourist spot.

Tienhuo Temple in Penghu is one historic site well worth visiting. (photo by Yang Yung- shan)

Lungshan Temple--a fragrant, vital, and beautiful place to visit. Don't just look around--make a wish!

At Taipei's Snake Alley, the night is still young. All around, tourists are taking in the snake-killing feats.

Porcelain is one kind of artwork that holds great interest for pilgrims to the National Palace Museum.

At the Chinese Handicraft Mart, two tourists start taking an interest in some copies of antiques. （photo by Arthur Jeng）

Sun Moon Lake is Central Taiwan's most coveted tourist spot.

Tienhuo Temple in Penghu is one historic site well worth visiting. （photo by Yang Yung- shan）

Lungshan Temple--a fragrant, vital, and beautiful place to visit. Don't just look around--make a wish!