Taipei, Dec. 5 (CNA) Taiwan has nearly all it takes to develop top quality ecotourism, which is expected to be a niche industry in the future, although there are still some areas requiring work, a senior birder and ecotourism guide said Wednesday.
"Bio-diversity richness; a well-developed transportation system; safety: these three elements explain why Taiwan has been a popular destination for eco-tourists from abroad, " said Simon Liao, Vice Chairman of Taiwan International Birding Association (TIBA) who also works as a guide for eco-tourists.
Liao, freshly back from a mission to Saint Lucia, Taiwan's diplomatic ally in the Caribbean, to help it develop ecotourism and birding infrastructure, took time to reflect on Taiwan's own ecotourism on the sidelines of a press conference.
Not too many people are aware of that Taiwan has been doing well in ecotourism, attracting mostly foreign birders, Liao said.
The average expenses for a foreign birder for a 10-11 day stay in Taiwan are an astonishing NT$ 230,000 (approximately US$7,094), Liao said, adding that he once received a group of British birders who were charged 5,220 pounds (approximately NT$348,000) each for the trip.
"If you knew the business well enough, this would not be a surprise because there are 'three highs' among common ecotourists: an advanced age, a high level of education, and a high consumption capacity, " Liao said.
Hardly anyone he has received in the past has complained about his experience in Taiwan, Liao said, adding that most ecotourists came from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan and the Netherlands.
"Of course, the most impressive thing they found in Taiwan was the extreme friendliness of our people, which has long be known, " he noted.
However, the bilingual services in cheaper hotels did need to be upgraded and more professional guides were needed to develop a stronger ecotourism industry, he said.