Following the policies of Small and Medium Enterprise Administration (SMEA), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), Natural Products innovation Laboratories (NPiL) and Industrial Innovation Service Group Section of MIRDC have worked together with Chiayi City Government and major local companies to launched “2018 Chiayi Essential Oil Month”. This tourism promoting event is being held for the first time, aiming to introduce a journey of experiences through different marketing strategies in combination with the tour of various spots such as unique local factories, museums, distilleries, and the chance for participants to create their memory of DIY spa essential oil and handmade soap with hinoki cypress essential oil. The event was originally planned to last for a month, but since the public response was very positive, organizers decided to extend the timeline to December 31, so that the event can be reached out to more people. In addition to giving people the opportunity to understand interesting stories behind how to produce naturally scented essential oils, they can also enjoy skilled massages at the spas and alleviate stress with pure, naturally scented essential oils. The event aims to promote the tourism in Chiayi and let visitors indulge in the fragrance of essential oil to relax and enjoy life.

MIRDC is carrying out SMEA’s “Enhancing SMEs' Cross-domain Innovation Ecosystem development” project, establishing a service platform for Chiayi’s local industries that drive regional development, so that they can test out their natural products, production, and commodification. This helps the industries to increase the pace of their R&D and manufacturing processes in areas such as food, biotechnology, cosmetics, and health care. As a cross-domain collaboration linking manufacturing industries, government agencies, academia, and research institutions, MIRDC proactively cooperated with Chiayi City Government, and features examples of the local natural flora, such as shell-ginger, tea trees, hinoki cypress, and camphor trees. Collaborators include beauty service providers like Windsorburg and LOVE Spa, as well as local industries and hotels like Shell-Ginger Story House tour factory, Taiwan Hinoki Museum, TTL's Chiayi Distillery, Taiwan NJC Corporation, Hinoki Village, Country Hotel, SUNSEED International Villa Hotel, and Chia Shih Pao Hotel. Together they have designed an event which has naturally scented essential spa oils as its main theme. This journey of experiences will spur the relevant regional essential oil production and services, which will not only invigorate the development of Chiayi's unique industries, but hopefully also lead to more people getting a better understanding of Chiayi.