Gaomei Wetland Preservation Area. Courtesy: http://eng.taichung.gov.tw/
The Gaomei Wetland Preservation Area in the Qingshui District of Taiwan has emerged as the most likely place for Japanese tourists to visit during the autumn season, according to a survey conducted by agency HIS.
Germany’s Schloss Neuschwanstein castle took second place in the poll, followed by the maple trees of Canada coming in third. England’s Lake District and the Czech Republic town of Cesky Krumlov claimed the fourth and fifth spots respectively.
According to Kana Usami from HIS’ headquarters sales strategy office, the popularity of the Gaomei Wetlands is thanks to its proximity to Japan, as well as due to the reputation of a similar site in South America.
“The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt flat in the world, covering more than 10km2. But it is too far for most Japanese travellers,” said Usami. “The fact that there is very similar scenery in Taiwan – and which is obviously much closer to Japan – led to a lot of votes for the Gaomei Wetlands.”
Usami added that he hopes to promote areas that are less well-known among Japanese travellers.
“When Japanese people visit Taiwan, they go to Taipei for sightseeing. But there are a lot of attractive spots outside the capital so we want to use the top ten list to propose new places for people to visit,” she explained.
