Taiwan is stepping up efforts to grow inbound tourism and guide visitors beyond its capital with new routes, nature trails and island attractions.
Huang Shih-Fang, deputy director general of the Taiwan Tourism Administration, told TTG Asia that while arrival targets were missed in 2024, the outlook for this year is stronger.
So far, arrival numbers have been encouraging, with 4.2 million tourist arrivals in the first half of this year, a 10 per cent increase from the same period last year. Its top target markets for inbound tourists are Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration is actively working to promote Taiwan overseas through partnerships and events. These included participation in travel tradeshows such as Singapore’s NATAS Holidays 2025 and the PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok, and the upcoming Tourism EXPO Japan.
Taiwan also aims to encourage visitors to explore all of the island, beyond its capital of Taipei.
In February, the Pingtung County Government launched eight uniquely themed travel routes that highlight the southernmost county’s nature and cultural diversity through a series of leisure activities.
Other efforts include promoting sustainable travel through the island through the use of public transport. Huang shared that the Tourism Administration is working with national parks to promote hiking trails and tours.
He noted that the New York Times featured Alishan as one of its 52 destinations to travel to this year, which would help increase its visibility among international tourists, and mentioned the Alishan Forest Railway, a 113-year old train that was originally a logging train and now a popular tourist attraction in Chiayi county.
He also shared about the Matsu islands off the north-west of Taiwan, renowned for its bioluminescence or ‘blue tears’ phenomenon visible at certain times of the year off the coast.
