When she was a little girl, Zheng Chu Yun loved to watch airplanes flying across the sky and she even chased after them. Though she could no longer do that post diagnosis with muscular dystrophy, she made a vow that one day she would sit on the plane and let it bring her to wherever she wished to go.

She has since done that and much more. She brings many others like her on board with her travel agency, Love Travel Co. Ms Zheng who shares her vision, challenges and experiences running the Taiwanese social enterprise with SEforum.

1. Could you share with us on how Love Travel Co came to existence?

In 1998, as the President of Taipei Young Female Chamber, I organized a group tour to Singapore for physically challenged citizens. We managed to gather enough donations from the public for 40 participants as well as 46 volunteers as funding for the tour. Still, we were selective on our participants. They must be below the age of 40, never been overseas before, belong to the low-income group, and are physically disabled. However, there were over 200 people who wished to register for the programme.

With so many people interested, especially the elder ones, I promised them that I would start a tour agency to realize their dreams to go on a trip despite their physical difficulties. This is done in the hope that, the trips would give the people motivation to be self-dependent, contribute to the society and even take initiatives to help others. As such, Love Travel Co was born in 2000. My vision is to create a team of giving and amicable travel companions, including tour guides and team leaders, to be part of our special customers’ great memories.

Since then, Love Travel Co has been in operation for 10 years and we are proud to receive many recognition from the industry and our customers. The greatest one is upon receiving the Honorary Travel Agency Distinction Award in 2008.

2. When and what inspired you to set up Love Travel Co against all odds?

I entered the travel industry as a small assistant. And after two years of hard work, I brought my first group of customers to Korea. I was worried that my disability would make the trip inconvenient for me. To my gratification, they insisted on me being their tour guide, and they have helped me to go around places. Not only had they realized my dream, their encouragements also inspired me to make the wishes of others like me come true. Therefore, I started Love Travel Co as the first travel agency in Taiwan that caters to customers with physical difficulties. Also, I envisioned that some of its profits would go to helping the physically and financially challenged.

3. What are some of the interesting stories and/or challenges you met in the course of running andpromoting Love Travel Co?

Our most accomplished moments are bringing out the people

who did not get to go to the outdoors for a long period of time. For example, a young man, whose both legs were amputated, had been on the bed for 8 years. His biggest wish was to bathe in the sun and breathe the fresh air outside. As he was unable to use the normal wheelchair, we brought him out by an ambulance and a stretcher. After the trip, he became much happier and motivated, and started learning to use automated wheelchair. Now, he is actively involved in choir practices and performances, going around the city on his own.

As for our greatest challenge, it would be the limited numbers of wheel-chair friendly buses and hotels in the market. It is hence more expensive and difficult to go on a trip logistically.

4. Which are the most popular countries or areas in Taiwan that you have brought your clients to? Where are some of the areas you hope to bring them to in the future?

Japan is our most popular location as the country offers a very wheel-chair friendly environment. It is also considerably near to Taiwan. Singapore is a frequent location as well, though it is more difficult to rent a wheel-chair friendly bus there.

In Taiwan, there are still lots of potential for improvement on wheel-chair friendly facilities. I wish that Taiwan could become a great place to travel for the physically-challenged and I have been actively spreading the idea to the related industries.

5. Where do you hope to see Travel Love Co in five years time?

I hope that in 5 years’ time, Love Travel Co will be able to fund, purely using its profits, more people with physical difficulties to step outside of their house and see the world. We would like to be both a charity and a social enterprise.

Everyone has a dream. And I believe that by seizing each opportunity you are given, your dream could be realised.

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