TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's tourism sector anticipates a resurgence, with 2024 visitor numbers estimated between 7.85 million and 7.87 million, according to the Tourism Administration (觀光署) on Tuesday (Dec. 31). Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) stated that although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has eased, an April earthquake caused a significant drop, particularly in Hualien, with group tours decreasing by 520,000.
Chou aims to expand into the Indian, New Zealand, and Australian markets by establishing a Taiwan tourism office in Sydney in the first half of 2025 and another in Mumbai by September. The administration also plans to focus on North American and European markets, with service offices set to open in Seattle and Amsterdam.
Chou noted that South Korean visitors exceeded 1 million this year, and he hopes to maintain this number while emphasizing the Japanese market. The Philippines, Thailand, and the U.S. also show growth potential. For first-time visitors, the focus will be on northern regions like Heping Island (和平島) in Keelung and Zhuangwei (壯圍) in Yilan. In contrast, repeat visitors will be encouraged to explore Taitung and Chiayi along the South Link Line (南迴線).
To attract high-end Thai tourists, Chou plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部) on convenient shopping options and continue promoting the Taiwan High Speed Rail's (THSR, 台灣高鐵) buy-one-get-one-free offer. Moreover, the administration hopes to entice transit passengers to extend their stay with events like the Taiwan Lantern Festival (台灣燈會), Taiwan Cycling Festival (自行車旅遊節), and Tour of Taiwan.
