TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – According to Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) Tourism Administration data, Taiwan welcomed approximately five million international tourists as of August.
MOTC Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) announced the figure on Tuesday (Sept. 10) at an event promoting the Tour de France L’Etape Sun Moon Lake Race. He said the Tourism Administration continues to promote international tourism, with special emphasis on eco-friendly experiences, per Economic Daily.
Earlier this year, former MOTC Minister Lee Men-yen (李孟諺) revised the 2024 inbound tourism goal from 12 million to 10 million, based on the Chinese government's continued actions to limit group and individual travel to Taiwan.
According to Chen, cross-strait tourism continues to be a major concern for domestic tourism officials. "More people are going to China, and fewer people are coming from China,” said Chen.
Chen said that approximately one million Taiwanese tourists have visited China, but only about 200,000 Chinese have traveled to Taiwan. Chen called upon China to lift travel restrictions as soon as possible.
Chen said his ministry is working to overcome the loss of Chinese tourists by focusing on other markets such as eco-tourism and international sporting events. He hoped the upcoming L’Etape Sun Moon Lake Race on Nov. 30 would allow foreign tourists to experience the beauty of Taiwan.
He added the Tourism Administration is partnering with international tourism ambassadors such as Japanese actor Tsumabuki Satoshi and Korean boy band singer Cho Kyu-hyun to draw tourists from Japan, South Korea, and other Asian countries.
Chen also discussed the lingering impact of the April 3 earthquake on tourism in Hualien County. He said tourism within the county has slightly improved recently, though it continues to be a major concern as some tourist hotspots remain inaccessible.
Chen pledged to listen to the many individuals and businesses involved in Hualien’s tourism industry. He pledged more communication and the potential of providing more government support to tourism businesses in the county, which have so far struggled to recover from the earthquake.
