TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tourist arrivals to Taiwan fell sharply in April, the month of the Hualien Earthquake, though the figure was higher than in April 2023.

According to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration, 610,146 tourists entered Taiwan in April, which is about 200,000 less than in March, per CNA. Research conducted by Taichung’s Providence University found that the April 3 earthquake caused the drop-off and that tourist numbers from Hong Kong, Macao, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore decreased the most.

The Hualien Earthquake struck Taiwan’s east coast on April 3, causing casualties and damage in Hualien County and with shaking felt throughout Taiwan. The shake made global headlines in the days that followed.

Despite the month-on-month decline, the Tourism Administration said that April’s tourist numbers were about 10% higher than the same month last year. Tourist numbers in the three months of 2024 preceding the quake were also higher than in the same months in 2023.