Taipei City Government

Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the 2019 Maokong Tea Sealing Festival Series - Heritage of Piety Thanksgiving Tea Sealing Ceremony on May 4. He expressed during his speech that Maokong is an important tourist attraction in Wenshan District, and therefore Taipei City Government has implemented the “Three Mao” program: Maokong, Maokong Gondola, and Pandas (Xiong Mao) at the Taipei Zoo. How to consolidate the zoo, Maokong Agriculture Leisure Area, and the Maokong Gondola in developing tourism is of utter importance.

According to Mayor Ko, the Maokong Gondola attracts approximately 2 million tourists annually. Now, the shared taxi service – which saw roughly 160,000 passengers over the last couple of years – is being promoted. He appealed to the public not to drive up the mountain and make use of public transport to prevent traffic congestion; he has requested the Public Transportation Office to discuss with the local shopping district and borough chiefs on how the minibus service should be operated. The priority is to resolve the issue of transportation, and where shuttle bus service to Maokong will be implemented.

Plans are being deliberated to transform the former Zoo Mall next to the Taipei Zoo into a zoo theme park; from the Maokong Station to the Taipei Zoo, the theme park's development must be conducted in conjunction with Maokong and the Taipei Zoo, whether the final project is a hotel or cultural pavilion. Consequently, it is imperative to gather the opinions of the local communities before making a decision.

Mayor Ko mentioned that Maokong is the second agriculture leisure area in Taipei City. Therefore, the city government needs to think about its management after it is completed. First, there needs to be an influential local shopping district organization to engage in dialogues with the local borough chiefs and the government in order to contemplate how to maximize the agriculture leisure area's benefits. He reiterated that the government will never be more informed about the market than the industry; hence it is essential that the industry propose their ideas.

The tea-sealing activity is held every year, and this year's theme is the Heritage of Piety Thanksgiving Tea Sealing Ceremony. Everyone is welcome to bring their parents along to the mountains to taste tea, savor great food, admire night scenery, and ride the gondola. Have a magnificent weekend!