Taiwan welcomed over 7.85 million visitors in 2024, driving tourism growth with new markets, iconic festivals, and global visitor centers in key cities.

Chou plans to develop tourism markets within a four- to eight-hour flight radius of Taiwan in 2025, prioritizing India, New Zealand, and Australia. To enhance accessibility for foreign travelers, tourism information centers are set to open in Sydney and Mumbai this year, according to CNA.
Chou also emphasized North America and Europe as significant focus areas for Taiwan’s tourism growth. Plans include establishing visitor centers in Seattle and Amsterdam to attract more travelers from these regions.

Highlighting regional success, Chou noted that over one million South Korean visitors traveled to Taiwan in the previous year. Between January and October 2024, Japanese visitor numbers surpassed one million, reflecting a nearly 50% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

For first-time visitors, the focus remains on showcasing Taiwan’s northern attractions. In line with Thailand’s ecotourism goals, the administration aims to highlight destinations such as Heping Island in Keelung and Zhuangwei in Yilan for Thai tourists.

Acknowledging the interest of Thai luxury travelers in shopping, Chou announced plans to collaborate with the economic ministry to introduce more convenient shopping options. Additionally, the administration will continue offering discounts on Taiwan High Speed Rail tickets to encourage exploration beyond Taipei.

This year, Taiwan will leverage key events like the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taiwan Cycling Festival, and L’Étape Sun Moon Lake to further boost tourism.

Chou also remarked on Taiwan’s strong post-pandemic tourism recovery. However, he acknowledged the impact of the Hualien earthquake in April 2024, which resulted in the loss of 520,000 group tourists to the region.

Source: www.travelandtourworld.com