Around 100 travel agents will join accommodation and travel distributor GTA for a week of events in India to showcase Taiwan this February. The Taiwanese Tourism Bureau (TTB) is leading a special delegation of inbound tour operators to Bangalore and Mumbai to showcase a variety of quality tours and experiences that will help Indian travellers get the most from a visit to Taiwan. The events come as India’s largest business-to-business travel trade fair, TTF OTM (7-9 February 2014), takes place in Mumbai.

India’s travel agents are increasingly using GTA to book accommodation in Taiwan as it can secure allocations throughout the year, negotiate attractive – and free – cancellation terms, as well as special offers, promotions and competitive rates. The number of room nights booked in Taiwan by fully independent travellers from India increased by 20% last year on top of an 11% increase in 2012. Not surprisingly, the capital Taipei was most popular but Indians are exploring all parts of the country with Kaohsiung, Taichung, Kenting and Taoyuan completing Indians’ top five destinations.

Gopika Khanna, GTA’s General Manager for Sales in India, says: “India is an increasing focus for Taiwan’s travel and hospitality industry given our rising middle-class, improved infrastructure and airline connectivity, which are helping to make travel accessible to many more people. Thanks to our distribution network, GTA can help Taiwan’s destinations, hoteliers and tourism industry suppliers reach these new travellers.”

Last year GTA benefited from increasing interest in Sun Moon Lake – Taiwan’s largest natural body of fresh water with a cycling trail dubbed “one of the most beautiful in the world” by CNN – and Kenting, on Taiwan’s tropical southernmost tip, home to fossilised coral cliffs, living reefs and diverse marine life and migratory birds. Bookings by Indians to both locations more than doubled in 2013.

Yilan – just 50 minutes’ drive from Taipei – also saw significant increase in the number of room nights booked. The Qilan Sacred Trees Garden, home to ancient indigenous trees, as well as whale and dolphin watching along its coast have helped ensure its rising popularity.

Workshops will take place on 5 February 2014 at ITC Gardenia in Bengaluru (Bangalore) and on 6 February 2014 at Apollo Bunder in Mumbai, while GTA will also attend TTF OTM with TTB. Indian travel agents will be given presentations about Taiwan’s appeals and attractions. GTA has agreed a number of Taiwanese hotel deals for travel agents to encourage even more Indian travellers to explore the country.