Tourism Research Institute to Focus on 3 Key Missions, Aiming to Become Taiwan's 'Tourism McKinsey'

(CNA reporter Yu Hsiaohan, Taipei, June 30) The Taiwan Tourism Research Institute is set to officially launch. Chen Shu-chuan, Director-General of the Tourism Administration, stated that the institute's role was previously unclear. Following a repositioning, it has been assigned three major missions: international connectivity, industry advancement, and talent cultivation, with the goal of becoming "Taiwan's McKinsey for tourism."

The Taiwan Tourism Research Institute has been in planning for many years. A preparatory office was established at the end of last year, and the institute will officially launch in July. Initially, it will focus on forward-looking research and talent training. The Taiwan Visitors Association, with nearly half a century of history among tourism-related associations, will concentrate on international marketing and promotion, as well as participating in exhibitions. The Tourism Administration, as the governing body, will primarily be responsible for policy decisions.

In an exclusive interview with CNA, Director-General Chen Shu-chuan admitted that after taking office in mid-last year, she found the organizational positioning of the Taiwan Tourism Research Institute to be unclear. Therefore, after clarifying the organization's context and operations, she decided to redefine its missions.

Chen Shu-chuan explained that the Tourism Research Institute has three major missions: international connectivity (including forward-looking research), industry advancement, and talent cultivation. This will require the collaborative brainstorming of cross-disciplinary experts. The institute's board members will include not only individuals from the hotel and travel industries but also invited experts from commerce, culture, technology, design, and aviation.

Chen Shu-chuan stated that the Tourism Administration also conducts research and talent development. The establishment of the Tourism Research Institute is intended to fill the gap in industry chain perspectives. The Tourism Administration has limited manpower and capacity, requiring the assistance of the institute. It's like a baseball team that needs professional talent to assess strategies and tactics to field the right players in the optimal defensive positions.

"What's currently lacking is analytical talent," Chen Shu-chuan said. "The Tourism Administration is focused on immediate action, responding as challenges arise." The Tourism Research Institute can take a more proactive stance, assessing global trends and major events over the next 5 to 10 years and their impact on the tourism industry, providing policy recommendations.

She gave an example: while the Tourism Administration's overseas offices handle international promotion and marketing, research analyzing specific customer segments and consumption behaviors can be delegated to the institute. The institute can fill this gap, which the "Tourism Administration doesn't have the capacity for," and actively engage in international exchanges to strengthen global connections.

Regarding industry advancement, Chen Shu-chuan indicated that she hopes the Tourism Research Institute will be able to integrate resources from various government ministries, provide overseas promotional materials, and even assist small tourism operators in Taiwan that lack the capacity for independent planning and development.

Talent cultivation will also be a major focus. Chen Shu-chuan said, for example, in Taiwan's ecological tours, those proficient in ecology may not know languages, and those who know languages may not be interested in ecology. In the future, the institute can cultivate multi-talented individuals to solve this problem. Furthermore, with the rise of AI, there is an urgent need to cultivate related talent.

Chen Shu-chuan mentioned that the Tourism Administration's existing international research work is expected to be gradually transferred to the Tourism Research Institute over two years, making the institute another arm of the Tourism Administration, following the Taiwan Visitors Association.

The Tourism Research Institute has appointed Shen Fang-cheng, CEO of the Loyale Group, as its first chairman. Chen Shu-chuan chuckled, saying that many industry veterans unanimously recommended Shen Fang-cheng when consulted.

Chen Shu-chuan said that Shen Fang-cheng successfully brought the concept of curated experiences into the tourism and hospitality industry, breaking the traditional framework of hotels only selling room stays. He is also relatively young, has served as an external committee member for the Tourism Administration for a long time, and has a certain familiarity with policies. He understands the Tourism Administration, can influence the industry, and has strong execution capabilities.

Discussing the establishment process of the Tourism Research Institute, Chen Shu-chuan admitted that the most challenging aspect was finding common ground amidst differences and preserving differences within commonality. Board members come from various sectors and are not familiar with government thinking, so much time and effort were spent on repeated discussions to build consensus. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150630

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