TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — In a bid to boost local tourism, Tainan has tapped into the ethnic diversity of Taiwan by training tour guides who are international students or from new immigrant families.

The city has rolled out a program to nurture guides with language skills to attract Southeast Asian tourists, with 22 individuals having completed training on Saturday (Sept. 25). They include overseas students as well as new immigrants and their offspring.

These experts are equipped with the know-how to introduce foreign visitors to everything they need to know about the city in Vietnamese, Malay, Tagalog, and Indonesian.

Celebrated for its historical heritage and traditional cuisines, Tainan is a tourist magnet among both Taiwanese and international visitors. The effort will help promote the city’s gastronomic scene and cultural landscape to the world, wrote CNA.

Tour guides with special language skills in Tainan. (CNA photo)