Abstract
Conflict among stakeholders in spa development with deep sea water in Taiwan
Program and Abstrcts for the ANZALS 10th Biennial Conference, p.55
Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) Biennial Conference, 10th (Dunedin, New Zealand, 06-Dec-2011 - 08-Dec-2011)
2011
Abstract
Deep Sea Water (DSW) spas, also known as thalassotherapy spas, are concentrated largely in countries with coastal frontiers such as Tahiti, Mexico, Greece, the United States, and Japan. DSW refers to sea water below 200 meters, which contains an abundance of nutrients and minerals as well as being clean with a constant low temperature (Nakasone & Akeda, 1999). As a key developing industry in numerous locations around the world (Davidson & Craven, 1997), and given the success of DSW spas in countries such as Japan with the largest concentrations, nations such as Taiwan are planning similar ventures with three currently in their early stages. Indeed while few locations meet the necessary condition of a narrow, deep continental trench along their coastal waters, with the drawing of deep seawater limited by the structure as well as form of the seabed, Taiwan has the natural potential to extract DSW along its east coast. In turn, three private Taiwanese companies - the Taiwan Fertiliser Co., the Lucky Cement Corp., and the Kung-Long Enterprise - have had water extracting facilities built, and have invested over NT$1 billion (U$33 million) in land, infrastructure, and facilities with the aim of replicating the success of Japan's DSW industry. Even in its earliest stages DSW presents numerous business opportunities, which can include the production of bottled water along with a range of products such as health foods, cosmetics, medicines, concentrated saline water, agriculture, mushroom cultivation, and large-scale aquaculture breeding. To illustrate its early potential in Taiwan in fact, sales of bottled deep seawater between 2008 and 2009 showed an increase of 80%, from approximately NT$500 million (U$16 million) to NT$900 million (U$30 million) per annum. While the three Taiwanese companies plan ultimately to develop thalassotherapy spas around Hualien in eastern Taiwan, they also have a high expectation the Taiwanese government will invest in the building of facilities before handing over to the private sector, something referred to as built operation transfer (BOT). From investigating the overall situation of DSW and thalassotherapy spas, and the actual position and potential of the industry, this study goes on to focus on the current progress of DSW industries in Taiwan, and the conflicting interests, struggles in vested rights, and initiatives in the market which characterise it. Ultimately the study is useful in understanding the core interests and prior activities of key stakeholders in the DSW industry, and in suggesting how governments can be effective in DSW development during its incipient stages.
Details
- Title
- Conflict among stakeholders in spa development with deep sea water in Taiwan
- Authors
- Kuan-Huei Lee (Author) - University of QueenslandTimothy J Lee (Author) - University of Queensland
- Contributors
- Neil Carr (Editor)Diana Evans (Editor)
- Publication details
- Program and Abstrcts for the ANZALS 10th Biennial Conference, p.55
- Conference details
- Australian and New Zealand Association of Leisure Studies (ANZALS) Biennial Conference, 10th (Dunedin, New Zealand, 06-Dec-2011 - 08-Dec-2011)
- Publisher
- Australia and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies
- ISBN
- 9780473203054
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Sustainability Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450966102621
- Output Type
- Abstract
Metrics
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