CEPD working to pump up exercising population to 3 million by 2007

September 14, 2004

The Council for Economic Planning and Development (CEPD), its sights set on gold medals for both a healthy economy and a healthy citizenry, has targeted the sports and recreational services industry for promotion. To this end, the council is working to boost Taiwan's exercising population to three million happy, healthy people by as soon as 2007.

While Taiwan has yet to suffer the levels of obesity and other diseases brought by office work, television and fast food in most industrialized nations, the telltale signs of physical sloth are beginning to emerge as these negative side effects of modern industrialization steadily infiltrate Taiwanese society. However, the race is hardly lost, as the people of Taiwan are keen on a wide variety of athletic activities, ranging from the traditional morning Tai Chi workout in the park to modern group aerobic dance classes in stylish fitness centers.

Taiwanese athletes earned their first taste of Olympic gold in Athens this year. This is not only a source of pride for the nation, it is also sure to encourage those here watching on TV to get up and pursue their own sporting interests. And, just as with this athletic gold, the government sees the potential for mining economic gold from the sports and recreation industry.

The CEPD is working to create a convenient investment environment for the development of this sector and has set a long-term goal of enlarging the exercising population by 500,000 people per year.

The council estimates that the production value of the sports and recreational services sector reached a total of just NTD 16.45 billion in 2001. Of this total, NTD 20 million came from mountain guide operations, NTD 2.15 billion from retail sporting goods stores, NTD 3.5 billion from golfing, NTD 4 billion from sports competitions and NTD 6.78 billion from sports and exercise facilities. There are no employment figures specifically targeting this sector, however, the number of people employed in the cultural, sports and recreational services sector grew 2.42% from 2000 to 169,000 in 2001.

With interest rising rapidly in such newer sports as surfing, kayaking, windsurfing, paragliding and deep-sea fishing, it is easy to see that this sector also dovetails nicely with the travel and tourism sector, another industry the CEPD aims to promote.

In the race to see if the number of gyms and sports facilities can keep pace with the number of fast food outlets, the CEPD aims to bring home the gold.

(Central News Agency)

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