Taichung's Jingguo Boulevard
Parkway will undergo a
planned makeover. (Photo by
Kang Wang-Shuo)

Exercising and dancing
residents in front of the
National Museum of Natural
Science's Botanical Garden in
the morning. (Photo by Lu Ke-
Xi)

Following the 921 Earthquake,
the Wufeng district Guang Fu
Junor High School's playing
fields have been reconstructed
into a memorial, preserving the
land movement that occurred
during the quake and serving
as a valuable record.

Taichung's Tourism Priority Policy for 2011

Text and photos by Taichung City Goverment
Translated by Angel Pu

Taichung City Tourism Bureau chief Zhang Da-chun notes that, following the city-county merger, every local tourism marketing activity will combine and promote various city regions' attractions, based on a vision for Greater Taichung City. These activities and promotions include the following:

Promoting the 'Calligraphy Greenway'
The Jingguo Boulevard Parkway, already a popular destination for Taichung residents and visitors, is being given a brand-new zen-sounding name--Calligraphy Greenway. This name was chosen by Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu and was part of the "Competitive International Representative Scenic Spot Demonstration Project" organized by the central government's Tourism Bureau. Based on the "Green Urban" theme, it won the competition and received a central government subsidy. The Taichung city government plans to develop the Calligraphy Greenway into Asia's largest cultural and creative performance venue with various international tourism attractions within two years, even as it also becomes an eco-urban green corridor. In addition to landscape improvement construction that will soon begin, the city government will also hold five activities to promote Calligraphy Greenway to all Taiwanese and around the world.

Constructing the 'Greater Taichung Tourism Navigation Website'
Post-merger Taichung city covers a massive area. Therefore, in order to provide a broader variety of tourism information, the planned "Greater Taichung Tourism Navigation Website" will integrate the original Taichung city and county tourism websites, allowing visitors to locate any useful information in seconds. In the future, this site will be offered in various languages, including traditional and simplified Chinese characters, English, Japanese and Korean. Providing international visitors with diverse, abundant tourism information, this website will help convey the friendliness of Taichung city and its local culture.

Launch of city tour buses
In 2006, Taichung city government launched its guided tour buses. Over the years, city tours offered via this system have included the "Ecology Tour", "Sweet Winery Tour", "Traditional Arts and Delicacies Tour", and the "Starry Night Tour", with destinations including already-famous and fresh new spots like Shihkang Dam, Ha Fishing Wharf, Dakeng Scenic Area, Xinshe, Dajia's Jenn Lann Temple, Wang Gao Liao lookout point, 228 Memorial Park, and 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan. Thanks to these offerings, Taichung citizens have been able to select their favorite tour and learn more about their hometown.

Now that Taichung city covers an extremely large territory, tour routes will also be extended to including popular destinations in Greater Taichung such as Shihkang, Fengyuan, Xinshe, Dajia, Dali and Wufeng districts, allowing citizens to freely experience the beautiful and diverse attractions of each area.

Left: Heping district's Huanshan village is inhabited by the indigenous Atayal tribe. "Huanshan" means "surrounded by mountains" in Chinese, indicating the village's location.
Right: Every March in the lunar calendar, a massive religious activity takes place at Dajia Jenn Lann Temple to celebrate the goddess Mazu's birthday. Before the celebration begins, 36 scout team members pose for the camera.