MICE, leisure groups flock to Taiwan leisure farms

LEISURE farms in Taiwan are drawing more MICE and leisure travellers due to their appeal as integrated recreational areas combining accommodation, authentic farming experience and scenic locations.

According to Shinny Chiu, chief operation officer of international marketing at the Taiwan Leisure Farming Development Association, more than 200,000 foreign visitors visited leisure farms last year, up from an approximate 160,000 in 2011.

There are close to 300 leisure farms in Taiwan, and visitors mainly come from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, who can try their hand at sheep shearing, fruit picking and making glutinous rice balls.

Another highlight in leisure farms is the availability of fresh local food.

“All farms depend on their own local production for consumption, so they will use chicken, duck, fish or vegetables produced in their farms to cook for visitors to enjoy the freshness,” Chiu said.

Chiu said the Association also aimed to promote social education and environmental protection through such tourism activities.

Leisure farms are also tapping the regional MICE market, with many offering standard meeting facilities like conference rooms and projector capabilities.

While Chiu does not have the figures for MICE visitors, she said the number has “definitely gone up”.

While leisure farms are predominantly filled by leisure travellers, Chiu said more companies were now realising they can combine meetings with incentives at these farms.

“Meetings held in the farms bring people out of the traditional air-conditioned hotel which is more boring…Many are now looking for places that can bring them away from the busy city and leisure farms are the perfect option because they combine agricultural production, country living and natural ecology altogether,” she said.

Alicia Seah, senior vice president of marketing and PR, CTC Travel Singapore, shared that CTC had been partners with the Taiwan Leisure Farming Development Association since 2010 and had observed a 20 to 25 per cent year-on-year increase in visitor traffic growth from Singapore to these leisure farms.

Incentive groups were posting annual growth of 10 per cent, she added

Sourced: ttgasia