TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Some travelers headed to Taoyuan International Airport on Wednesday (Oct. 12), one day before Taiwan reopens its borders. Many at the airport were going directly into Japan due to its recent opening and cheaper ticket prices that make it an ideal destination for this time of year.
Most airport travelers said they bought their tickets to Japan for around NT＄16,000. Social media influencers have also pointed out that most airlines have priced their tickets to Japan between NT＄14,000 and NT＄17,000, marking a sharp contrast to tickets during the pandemic.
Before the pandemic broke out, ticket prices to Tokyo from Taiwan were around NT＄15,000. However, during the worst of the pandemic, ticket prices soared to around NT＄23,000. Today, with borders reopening, some ticket prices have dropped back down to around NT＄13,000.
However, travel agencies point out that travel between the two countries may not return to normal until November. Chen Chien-chin, a general manager at a travel agency, explained that "there are fewer travelers than we originally thought."
"Currently, the number of Taiwanese people going to Japan is still relatively larger than those coming to Taiwan," he said, adding "they make up almost 60% to 65% of travelers in total."
As countries across the world gradually relax their borders, travel agencies estimate that more frequent travel can be seen later this year.
