TAINAN: In the city of Tainan along Taiwan’s southern coast, a transformation has set sail.
The local government and shipbuilders who have set up shop in the city want to grow its yacht industry to rival neighbouring Kaohsiung’s.
Part of its strategy is to make such pleasure craft experiences more available and affordable.
NOT JUST FOR THE RICHShing Sheng Boat Building Co is one such manufacturer in Tainan on a mission to reshape the perception of yachting as an exclusive luxury.
The company has been crafting vessels for nearly a decade, producing about 30 yachts a year.
“We hope to change the impression that yachts are only for the rich,” its CEO Chang Hung-wen told CNA.
“We hope to provide affordable prices to reach at least 80 per cent of ordinary people so that they, too, can experience yachts and the ocean.”
Another key player in the industry is Argo Yachts Development Co. It runs yacht clubs in various parts of Taiwan including Kaohsiung and Penghu, and has plans to expand.
The firm dropped anchor in Tainan777oreo, setting up its headquarters and building Taiwan’s biggest yacht club there.
Tainan – Taiwan’s oldest city that was once its capital – is rich in history, cultural heritage and scenic harbours.