Hiker says red tape keeps mountains from becoming global tourist draw
Hiker says red tape keeps mountains from becoming global tourist draw
2023-11-09
Taiwan is home to breathtaking mountains such as Yushan, the tallest peak in northeast Asia. Experts say that Taiwan could be a global hiker’s paradise, if it weren’t for the red tape required to get an access permit. The issue was recently brought to the fore by a Polish traveler.
A towering mountain is shrouded in mist. As the tallest mountain in Taiwan and in northeast Asia, Yushan draws tourists from far and wide. But one Polish hiker was disappointed to find how tough it was to get a hiking permit.
Voice of Paula Rybaczuk
Polish backpacker
For some things mountain hikes, you need to apply for a permit weeks before. It’s hard for those who decide to come here suddenly.
At Yushan, 24 slots are reserved each day for foreign tourists, allowing them to skip the general lottery system. But they must apply 35 days in advance. On the permit application website, hikers must submit a detailed itinerary for each day in the mountains, and leave emergency contact details of a Taiwanese national. The paperwork can be a challenge for foreign visitors, and even for Taiwanese agencies commissioned to submit documents on their behalf.
Voice of Tri Fish
Hiking expert
The problem is that if foreigners are required to do it themselves, it’s a pain, and they won’t necessarily understand everything. There was one time during a hike that my group had to retreat. Later, we received a fine saying we had camped somewhere different from what he had stated in our plan. But the problem was that we hadn’t been able to reach our destination.
Experts say that if Taiwan wants to capitalize on mountains as a tourism draw, it must simplify its permit application system. But others say that, with Taiwan’s unpredictable weather and frequent trail closures, the permit requirements are a necessary precaution.
Liu Kun-yao
Hiking expert
Many of Taiwan’s mountains are inside national parks, and as such, they have to be protected in accordance with the National Park Law, meaning more restrictions apply.
Voice of Ko Yi-chun
Tourism Administration
The National Park Service and the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency have routine meetings. If someone brings this up, we can all discuss it at the meetings.
Simplifying permit applications will be a test in balancing tourism development and hiker safety.
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台灣山岳觀光資源多! 申請繁瑣 外國客望之卻步
2023-11-09
台灣山岳美景，觀光資源豐富，但卻有波蘭導遊發現，寶島除了美食之外，卻沒有好好推銷登山的行程，實在可惜，原來大部分山地，都必須申請入山證才能進入。加上申請步驟繁瑣，甚至一個月前就要申請，不讓僅外國人望之卻步，就連民眾都說好困難！
高聳山林矗立、雲霧纏綿，玉山是台灣百岳之首，東北亞第一高峰，吸引國外旅客朝聖。卻有波蘭背包客大嘆可惜，因為想要入山，可沒那麼簡單。
[[聲源: 波蘭背包客 Paula Rybaczuk]]
“如果想爬一些比較有名的山 ，我查到好像大約幾周前，就要申請入山證 ，對像我這種臨時決定要來的人，就比較困難”
以玉山為例，儘管有每天都有24個外籍保留名額，讓國外旅客，不用跟著搶抽籤。卻必須再35天以前提出申請。只是實際測試，點開登山申請一站式網站，除了要提交入山計畫書，詳列每一天要走什麼路線、爬到哪，要爬玉山，還得填寫本國籍緊急聯絡人資料。不只考倒外國人，繁雜手續連代辦的本國人也搖頭！
[[聲源: 登山專家 三條魚]]
“問題在說，如果這件事情交給外國人自己去做的話，他們會很痛苦，因為他們會搞不清楚，像我們有一次撤退，罰單就寄到我們這邊來，就是說你們怎麼可以，紮營在沒有預計的地方，問題就是走不到”
要讓台灣山林之美，成為觀光賣點，專家呼籲將申請手續，化繁為簡。但也有不少山友擔心，台灣天氣多變，道路常常因此中斷，入山證都是為了意外，預做準備。
[[登山專家 劉崑耀]]
“台灣的山區很多都設在國家公園裡面，它就會根據國家公園法來做一個保護，所以它的限制會比較多”
[[聲源: 觀光署國際組科長 柯怡君]]
“國家公園署或者是林業保育署，這邊我們其實是有一個例行性的一個平台，這個只要有反應，我們都可以在平台會議來做一個討論”
是否能讓複雜的手續有精進的空間，畢竟觀光發展跟旅客安全都得兼顧。
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