Taiwan bolsters tourism through two-day workshop

The two-day workshop in Clark City and Manila is part of the country’s efforts to boost its tourism industry.

“We see a great potential in the Philippine tourism market,” said Wallace Minn-Gaw Chow, the deputy representative of the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines, during the event.

Chow noted that it had been a year since the country opened its borders to international travelers, with its Filipino visitors reaching an increase of nearly 550 percent from the numbers seen in 2022.

“This not only proves the robust tourism recovery in [the] post-pandemic era but also shows that Taiwan is an attractive destination for Filipino friends,” said Chow.

According to Marketing Manager Rick Yu, Taiwan received over 300,000 Filipino tourists in 2023 and the country is set to grow the numbers further through the “Panahon sa Taiwan” campaign.

In his presentation during the event, Yu explained that the visa-free initiative introduced on Nov. 1, 2017 will continue until July 31, 2024 and will be reviewed by the Taiwanese government regarding its further extension. The initiative notably allowed eligible Filipinos to travel to Taiwan completely visa-free for a period of 14 days.

Yu further said that incentives were being given to travel agencies who will be handling multiple group tours, which will be valid from May 2023 to June 2025. Transit or transfer passengers who have 7 to 24-hour layovers before their next connecting flight will also be given a chance to avail of a free half-day tour in Taiwan.

The event also featured a travel mart which had booths showcasing different products and services from the different Taiwanese firms.

The travel mart was followed by a welcome speech from the Taiwan Tourism Administration Bangkok Office Director Yi-Ting Chen. In her speech, she unveiled the plans for a Taiwan Tourism Information Center (TTIC) in Manila within the second half of 2024, which will have a team that will coordinate and assist local travel agencies regarding tourism plans in the country.

Sarah Chen, the division chief of Taiwan Tourism Administration, also gave her remarks at the event where she stated that the country was aiming to receive 700,000 Filipino travelers this year.

The event also featured two performances from Fun to Art, a Taiwanese dance group.

The first day of the workshop was held at the SMX Convention Center Clark in Pampanga on Jan. 31.

— Abigail Adriatico