Taiwan News
Date: 2019/03/29
By: Associated Press
Members of a fitness club exercise at a facility in Taipei City. (Photo courtesy Taiwan Today/ Huang Chung-hsin)
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A campaign is underway in Taiwan to provide widespread access to affordable fitness facilities and bolster public interest in sport.
Taiwan Today reported, in recent decades, the Sports Administration under the Ministry of Education has worked with local governments around Taiwan on the development of modern, well-equipped community gymnasiums. Since 2003, a large-scale multidisciplinary sports center has been built in each of Taipei City’s 12 districts.
The quality of these facilities was a major factor in Taipei’s shortlisting for the 2018 World Capital of Sport by Brussels-based European Capitals and Cities of Sport Federation. Inspired by this achievement, other municipalities have followed suit, with 24 civic sports centers either constructed or in various stages of completion nationwide.
Private investment is also pouring into Taiwan’s fitness industry. Figures from the Fiscal Information Agency under the Ministry of Finance reveal that the number of nongovernment-owned gyms rose to 369 in 2017 from 149 in 2013, while sector revenues increased by about 160 percent to NT$7.87 billion (US$255.5 million) over the same period. [FULL STORY]
