TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Domestic tourism to national scenic areas and theme parks surged 109% over the Lunar New Year holiday.

Transportation Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) said Monday that Taoyuan Airport handled 169,000 passengers on Feb. 14, setting a new single-day record for the Lunar New Year break, per ETtoday. Average daily visitors to national scenic areas, theme parks, and other tourist sites during the holiday rose from 350,000 last year to more than 730,000 this year.

From the first to the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, Taiwan’s national scenic areas received 3,871,887 visitors, averaging 645,314 per day. Theme parks welcomed 526,372 visitors over the same period, with a daily average of 87,729.

The Tourism Administration said that on the third day of the Lunar New Year, national scenic areas nationwide saw a record 843,096 visitors, showing domestic tourism momentum is returning. It plans to continue linking seasonal theme events and regional highlights to sustain tourism growth throughout the year.

Regionally, both mountain and coastal scenic areas saw a surge in visitors. Popular destinations such as Alishan, the northeast coast, the north coast, Sun Moon Lake, and the Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan area recorded significant increases, with many travelers choosing hiking trails, coastal landscapes, and old streets for their holiday outings.

Regarding highway traffic, Chen said he took one round trip on the high-speed rail and two round trips between Taichung and Taipei by car during the holiday. While driving felt congested due to heavy traffic, the transport system operated efficiently without significant delays, and overall public experience was positive.