TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan still hopes to welcome 10 million visitors during 2024, with the number rising to 14 million in 2028, Transportation Minister Li Meng-yen (李孟諺) said Thursday (June 13).

According to data from the National Immigration Agency (NIA), Taiwan had received 3.45 million visitors by Tuesday (June 11), per CNA. Li said he hopes it will still be possible to reach the 10 million target with the help of campaigns focusing on Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and North America during the second half of 2024.

The original aim for this year had been to attract 12 million visitors. However, due to factors including the deadly April 3 earthquake in Hualien County and China’s continued refusal to allow tour groups to visit Taiwan, the number had been revised downward to 10 million.

Li told lawmakers he was not planning to reduce the target again. New tourism offices in Vancouver and Manila, continued visa waivers for visitors from Thailand and the Philippines, and attracting more transit passengers would help boost the figures, he said.

Looking further, Li said the target for 2028 would be 14 million visitors from overseas and 220 million domestic trips, Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reported. Income from tourism would reach NT$1 trillion (US$30.92 billion), he said.