Taiwanese councilor urges Pingtung to adopt digital tourism inspired by mobile game success

Pingtung County Councilor Li Shih-bin is calling on the local government to embrace digital tourism by introducing activities similar to a successful mobile game event held in Chiayi City. Li, wearing a Pikmin costume during a council session, urged the Pingtung County government to move beyond traditional marketing and leverage the potential of integrated virtual and real-world tourism.

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Modern social governance should be sensitive to technological innovation and social trends, and must not be limited to traditional IP collaborations and rote procedures.

He cited the "Pikmin Bloom Mini Walk" event in Chiayi City, which attracted 1.3 million visitors during a three-day holiday weekend in May, generating an estimated NT$2.6 billion (approximately $8 million) in tourism revenue. Li believes Pingtung can achieve similar success by integrating the popular game "Pikmin Bloom" with its own landmarks, such as the Pingtung Tobacco Factory, Public Library, Wannei River Park, and Cifeng Temple, turning them into virtual check-in points.

Li proposed a two-pronged strategy: "specialized customization" and a "strongest retention mechanism." He suggested creating unique "airplane Pikmin" for the historic Victory Arch Village, known for its well-preserved Japanese military officer residences, or "tropical fruit Pikmin" featuring local produce like mangoes and wax apples. Additionally, he recommended linking the game's exploration points with the "2026 Pingtung Travel & Shopping Festival" lucky draw for accommodation, encouraging players to extend their stays in Pingtung.

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The people have not disappeared, it just depends on what mechanism is used to attract them.

The county government's Department of Transportation and Tourism, led by Director Huang Kuo-wei, expressed strong approval for the proposal, calling it forward-thinking. The department plans to consult with the Chiayi City government and investigate how to contact Nintendo to explore the feasibility of implementing this new form of digital tourism in Pingtung.

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This is a very forward-thinking good suggestion.