TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) highlighted on Friday (Sept. 13) that despite a booming travel and airline sector, the hospitality sector faces a significant labor shortage.
Chen noted that the enthusiasm for overseas travel among citizens has led to increased revenue for travel and airline industries. However, the hotel industry has not shared in this prosperity.
He explained that the Tourism Administration (觀光署) has coordinated several initiatives and secured participation from overseas Taiwanese students to work in the hospitality sector.
The Tourism Administration has actively supported the hotel industry, aiming to revitalize tourism and attract more international visitors to Taiwan. Chen stated that the administration has been in constant negotiation with the Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) to address the labor shortage.
He also expressed optimism about achieving the goal of 10 million international visitors this year, noting that the Tourism Administration staff are working diligently toward this target.
Chen mentioned upcoming events like the Tour de France Challenge and the involvement of international celebrities, including Japanese actor Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聰) and Super Junior's Kyuhyun (圭賢), as tourism ambassadors. These efforts are expected to boost marketing in the Asian region. He encouraged the Tourism Administration staff to continue their hard work.