Taiwan expects more than 8 million tourists` arrivals by 2008

With 2005 arrivals forecast to be up 15 percent to 3.4 million, Taiwan’s tourism is…

With 2005 arrivals forecast to be up 15 percent to 3.4 million, Taiwan’s tourism is right on track to double its visitor numbers by 2008. In 2003, the Taiwanese government laid out a six-year plan to increase international visitors to five million by 2008. (By the end of 2005, an estimated 400,000 Americans will have visited this Asian island nation – an increase of four percent over 2004.)

What brings Americans to this 14,000-square-mile island destination between Japan and Hong Kong? “We have managed to preserve a great deal of Chinese culture, with the world’s most extensive collection of Chinese art, the planet’s best Chinese food, 10,000 Buddhist, Taoist and Confucius temples and some of the friendliest people on earth,” says Michael Chang Ph.D., the director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in New York. “All of these attractions make Taiwan an interesting – and relatively untapped – travel option for U.S. travelers.”

TAIPEI

Taiwan’s bustling capital city is most famous for its National Palace Museum, but it also boasts the world’s tallest building, Taipei 101 which opened its doors on January 1, 2005 with a state-of-the-art observation deck, designer shops, trendy bars and restaurants and a 24-hour book store. Other Taipei sightseeing attractions include the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall and the Longshan Temple which dates to 1738. Then, too, the city is known for its array of five-star hotels and top-rated restaurants, not to mention its lively night markets. Transit passengers with lengthy airport layovers are now being offered free half-day tours for an introductory taste of Taiwan.

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM

One of the top five museums in the world, the National Palace Museum is renovating and expanding in celebration of its 80th birthday. All the better to show off its 650,000 art works, the largest collection of Chinese art in the world. Renovation is on schedule, to be completed in June 2006. Three special exhibitions of Ju ware ceramics, painting and calligraphy and rare books from the Northern Sung Dynasty (960-1279) will go on display from July through September.

PLANS FOR 2006

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau just announced that the “Flagship Tourist Attraction Plan” would be implemented next year. To improve the country’s tourism infrastructure and to focus promotional efforts on the country’s most appealing and interesting attractions, officials in each city and county will choose one top site to showcase. In Taipei, that will be the National Palace Museum and Taipei 101 and in Kaohsiung the Love River was chosen. For Hualien County, it will be Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake is the choice for Nantou County. To promote Taiwan as a new destination for international youth and student travelers, the country’s National Youth Commission (NYC) has proclaimed 2006 as the Taiwan International Youth Travel Year. The NYC will introduce new incentive programs for young overseas travelers including discounts, travel cards and work opportunities. Taiwan is also developing spa tourism using its many hot springs and planning a number of special interest tours and programs with Chinese medicine, cooking schools and language courses.

NEW FIVE-STAR HOTELS

International hoteliers have discovered Taiwan. Many luxury brands already have hotels in Taiwan including Regent, Shangri-La, Grand Hyatt, Caesar Park, Westin, Crowne Plaza and Sheraton. And the Sheraton Yilan resort, set amid hot springs and tea plantations, debuted earlier this year. An Inter-continental scheduled to open in 2007, will be the first five-star in Taiwan’s third largest city, Taichung. In 2008, a Park Hyatt and a Landis will also open properties in Taichung, another Landis will be built in Ataabu, in Taichung Country and a Hyatt Regency will open in Hsinchu.

NEW MUSEUM

The Southern Branch Museum, opening in 2008, will be built in Taibo City in central Taiwan. This completely new museum will showcase more of the treasures in the National Palace Museum’s collection, highlighting pan-Asian works from Indonesia, India, Japan, Thailand and other neighbouring countries.

CULTURE

Paying tribute to the country’s rich and diverse culture – a fusion of Chinese, Fujianese, Hakka, Cantonese and various aboriginal cultures – Taiwan offers visitors a medley of annual celebrations such as the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and the Ghost Festival. Many tour operators are selling packages to Taiwan’s two-week-long Chinese New Year festival which kicks off on January 29, 2006. Twelve of Taiwan’s aboriginal tribes survive, all of which celebrate traditional events like the Ami Harvest Festival, Bunun Ear-shooting Festival and the Yami Flying Fish Festival.

CUISINE

Food lovers say that Taiwan has the world’s best Chinese food. The island is home to a multitude of culinary styles that refugees brought from all over China when they migrated to Taiwan almost 60 years ago. The capital city offers variety in restaurants.

SCENERY

The Taroko Gorge and Sun Moon Lake are two of the island nation’s top scenic attractions. In fact, the Taroko Gorge is considered one of Asia’s natural wonders and is the most popular scenic attraction in Taiwan. Sun Moon Lake is in the western foothills of the Central Range. The country’s largest natural lake, it sits at an elevation of 2,460 feet with temples, shrines and a pagoda dotting the surrounding hills. Two thirds of Taiwan is covered with forested mountains, with about 200 peaks higher than 9,800 feet. The Central Mountain Range stretches along the center spine of the island; to the west lies the Yushan (Jade Mountain) National Park, with its highest peak at 12,966 ft., making it the tallest in northeastern Asia. The country has five other national parks, hot springs in about 100 locations, 16 forest recreation areas and 12 national scenic areas and 18,800 species of animals including 500 bird species.

ACTIVE AND ADVENTURE TRAVEL

With all those mountains and national parks, the island nation offers plenty in the way of active/adventure vacations, from white-water rafting and paragliding to surfing and kite surfing and from mountain climbing and rock climbing to hiking and mountain biking, not to mention bird watching and whale watching for the less-active nature lovers.

CONVENIENT ASIAN GATEWAY

Taiwan, positioned between Japan (3 hours) and Korea (2 ½ hours) to the north and Hong Kong (1 ½ hours) to the south, is a convenient gateway to Asia. More than 34 international carriers serve Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. Taiwan’s two national carriers: China Airlines and EVA Air offer nonstop flights from several US gateways. American, Continental, and Delta offer direct flights from many U.S. gateways. United, Northwest, Cathay Pacific, JAL, Singapore, Garuda, Thai and Philippine Airlines and other international carriers all fly to Taipei as well.

POPULAR TOUR AND PACKAGE DESTINATION

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau has been successful in recruiting additional tour operators to offer packages to Taiwan. Since July, 2005, five companies have added or expanded programs to the island nation: Asia Classic Tours, Absolute Asia, Artisans of Leisure, Orient Flexi Pax and Travel Bound. Other tour operators with programs to Taiwan include: Allstate Travel, American Asia Travel Center, AMICH Holidays, Celebrity Tour & Travel, East Travel, General Tours, Goway Travel Experiences, Happy Holiday Tours, Northwest Airlines World Vacations, Pacific Bestours, Princess Tours, Pacific Holidays, Royal Scenic, Tour East Holidays and Tours Hai International.

Follow TravelDailyNews Asia-Pacific in Google News

Theodore Koumelis

Co-Founder & Managing Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | + Articles

Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.