By KHT Staff. AI illustration images.
PENGHU — Penghu should reduce its reliance on the annual Fireworks Festival and develop stronger year-round attractions to compete with overseas destinations, tourism experts and local industry representatives said.
Wayne Liu (劉喜臨), a professor at National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism (國立高雄餐旅大學), said Penghu’s tourism problem is not the failure of one event, but a broader change in the travel market.
Liu said the Penghu International Fireworks Festival was once successful at attracting visitors during the slow season. However, after more than 20 years, the event has lost some of its novelty, and recent collaborations with popular IP brands have not been enough to offset wider changes in travel behavior.
Taiwanese travelers can now spend similar or even lower amounts to visit Japan, South Korea, or Southeast Asia, Liu said. As a result, Penghu is no longer competing only with other domestic destinations.
Liu said travelers are increasingly focused on perceived value, not just price. Visitors want to feel that a trip gives them a memorable or surprising experience, he said.
Successful tourism destinations often have recognizable attractions that people want to photograph and share, Liu said, citing skywalks in Busan, Vietnam’s Golden Bridge near Da Nang, and Okinawa’s American Village and large-scale immersive attractions.
By comparison, Penghu has rich natural scenery and marine resources, but lacks high-profile landmark attractions, immersive experiences, and large resorts, Liu said.
Liu said Penghu’s accommodations have improved significantly, but the county still needs stronger international branding and better tourism packaging. He said Penghu’s lighthouse culture, basalt landscapes, marine ecology, and fishing village culture all have potential to be developed into international tourism products.
Penghu County Tourism Guide Association Chair Chen Jen-ho (陳仁和) said the county should redevelop the Guanyinting Recreation Area (觀音亭園區) and create permanent night attractions around the Xiying Rainbow Bridge (西瀛虹橋).
Chen suggested adding dancing fountains, water-screen projections, and light shows to create a night tourism attraction that could operate year-round.
A permanent attraction would help spread out Fireworks Festival crowds and encourage visitors to stay longer, Chen said. He also called on the central government to help attract tourism cruises and expand tourism exchanges between outlying islands on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
The comments were reported by United Daily News.
