Taiwan is set to launch a new campaign to revive its tourism industry, which has struggled since a major earthquake in April, the largest in 25 years, caused damage and roadblocks in Hualien County and led to the temporary closure of Taroko Gorge, one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, which received 2.44 million visitors in 2021.
The campaign will feature promotional airfares to attract international visitors, crucial for the country’s recovery. The earthquake struck on April 3, just before the high tourism season, resulting in a significant drop in visitor numbers, with only 600,000 arrivals to the country in April, compared to the one million expected.
Taiwan will launch a new campaign to attract more Thai travellers to the country; Taipei, pictured
Trust HJ Lin, deputy director general of the Taiwan Tourism Administration, emphasised Taiwan’s quick recovery, noting that most of the country was back to normal the next day, and that impacted areas, like the road to Taroko Gorge, are expected to reopen later this year or early next year.
“We understand the concerns sparked by the earthquake, but it’s important to note that 90 per cent of international tourists visit the western side of Taiwan, which was largely unaffected,” he added.
Taiwan experiences frequent earthquakes due to co-existing on the same seismic belt as Japan.
Lin also highlighted Taiwan’s strict building regulations, pointing to the Taipei 101’s damper system as an example of the country’s earthquake preparedness, which is heightened due to its experience with the 1999 Chi Chi earthquake.
“Our strict regulations on public and residential buildings help minimise damage, so even severe earthquakes – which are rare in our country – leave Taiwan largely unhurt and undamaged,” he said.
The tourism industry was just beginning to recover post-lockdown, with 800,000 foreign visitors in March, when the quake hit, leading to widespread cancellations and delaying of trips by travellers. The weak Japanese yen, which drew travellers, also complicated Taiwan’s recovery.
In response, Taiwan’s new promotional campaign aims to restore confidence among travellers.
Lin mentioned that special fare promotions with airlines will be rolled out soon, while the new Waves of Wonder branding launched in May 2024 works to underscore the country’s uniqueness as a top destination and showcase Taiwan’s endless plethora of highlights and hidden gems even outside of quake-hit Hualien.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration will also host its Thailand roadshow on September 20-22 at Siam Paragon to woo Thai travellers with new surprises.
Taiwan is set to launch a new campaign to revive its tourism industry, which has struggled since a major earthquake in April, the largest in 25 years, caused damage and roadblocks in Hualien County and led to the temporary closure of Taroko Gorge, one of the country’s most popular tourist attractions, which received 2.44 million visitors in 2021.
The campaign will feature promotional airfares to attract international visitors, crucial for the country’s recovery. The earthquake struck on April 3, just before the high tourism season, resulting in a significant drop in visitor numbers, with only 600,000 arrivals to the country in April, compared to the one million expected.
Trust HJ Lin, deputy director general of the Taiwan Tourism Administration, emphasised Taiwan’s quick recovery, noting that most of the country was back to normal the next day, and that impacted areas, like the road to Taroko Gorge, are expected to reopen later this year or early next year.
“We understand the concerns sparked by the earthquake, but it’s important to note that 90 per cent of international tourists visit the western side of Taiwan, which was largely unaffected,” he added.
Taiwan experiences frequent earthquakes due to co-existing on the same seismic belt as Japan.
Lin also highlighted Taiwan’s strict building regulations, pointing to the Taipei 101’s damper system as an example of the country’s earthquake preparedness, which is heightened due to its experience with the 1999 Chi Chi earthquake.
“Our strict regulations on public and residential buildings help minimise damage, so even severe earthquakes – which are rare in our country – leave Taiwan largely unhurt and undamaged,” he said.
The tourism industry was just beginning to recover post-lockdown, with 800,000 foreign visitors in March, when the quake hit, leading to widespread cancellations and delaying of trips by travellers. The weak Japanese yen, which drew travellers, also complicated Taiwan’s recovery.
In response, Taiwan’s new promotional campaign aims to restore confidence among travellers.
Lin mentioned that special fare promotions with airlines will be rolled out soon, while the new Waves of Wonder branding launched in May 2024 works to underscore the country’s uniqueness as a top destination and showcase Taiwan’s endless plethora of highlights and hidden gems even outside of quake-hit Hualien.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration will also host its Thailand roadshow on September 20-22 at Siam Paragon to woo Thai travellers with new surprises.