Covering 735.86 hectares of land and 105.44 hectares of water in Pingtung and Taitung counties, the trail was designated a county-level nature reserve in January 2012. Daily tourist numbers are capped at 300 to preserve its fragile and rich biodiversity.
To date, an estimated 130,000 tourists visited the north-south trail, generating guide services revenues of over NT$19 million (US$617,460).
“The tourism capacity regulation has proven successful,” a Pingtung County Government official said. “Not only has the ecology of the ancient trail been preserved, but the quality of tourism has improved.”
Xiaoliuqiu off the southwestern coast of Pingtung is another example of the policy’s effectiveness. Capacity controls implemented in August 2012 for the first two intertidal zones Shanfu and Yuchengwei have restored habitat vitality. The appeal of the dynamic foreshore environment remains strong despite the visitor cap.
These results prompted the Ministry of Transportation and Communications to designate in March the five major intertidal zones of Xiaoliuqiu as Taiwan’s second batch of natural and cultural ecology scenic areas.
“By adding Duziping, Geban Bay and Lobster Cave to the preservation list, we expect to further strengthen Xiaoliuqiu’s intertidal ecosystem,” the official said. “Such a tropical paradise is certain to prove even more appealing to holidaymakers from home and abroad.”
According to the official, the same regulatory strategy can be applied to the county’s other nature reserves, such as the land crab colony in Checheng Township, as well as Kenting National Park.
“Tourism and preservation can go hand in hand if we learn to maintain the delicate balance that supports all life forms,” the official added. (YHC-JSM)
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