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Singaporean Travel Companies Tour Tainan, the Ancient Capital, and Develop Travel Packages for Taiwan Lantern Festival

Posted Date:2023-11-06

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Singaporean Travel Companies Tour Tainan, the Ancient Capital, and Develop Travel Packages for Taiwan Lantern Festival 1

Introduce

The Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government (TNG Tourism Bureau) took up the Tourism Bureau of Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ (MOTC Tourism Bureau) on its offer to host large Singaporean tour companies such as VIP Bus Tour, L.G.E. Travel, and Green Island Tours while they were in Taiwan for the 2023 Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF). The tour companies were treated to emerging destinations in Tainan and encouraged to develop travel packages that will take advantage of the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival in Tainan, Tainan 400 and other major events next year so that more Singaporean visitors can come and experience the allure of Tainan.

Tainan City Mayor Wei-Che Huang stated that Singapore was one of the city’s key source markets. MOTC Tourism Bureau statistics indicated that as of February this year, 84,779 people from Singapore had visited Taiwan since border restrictions were lifted from October 13 last year (2022). Singapore was therefore the ranked No.2 among all the countries in the number of visitors to Taiwan. The number of visitors to Taiwan from Singapore each month has also exceeded 30,000 since March this year making it a key source market for international tourism in Taiwan. Singapore is an important economic entity in Southeast Asia. It offers many advantages including a mature tourist market, frequent return flights to Taiwan, as well as a similar language and cultural background. Due to the current state of the economy, travelers also prefer travel packages that are close to home and offer great value. The current push to boost global tourism to Taiwan means Singapore is an important market well-worth investing in. Tainan is welcoming its 400th anniversary next year and the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival will be held in Tainan as well. By inviting travel operators to scope out the lay of the land and design tailored travel packages, more visitors can be drawn to in-depth tours of Tainan and give added impetus to the recovery of Tainan’s international travel market.

Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the TNG Tourism Bureau said that Taiwan has always been a key destination for Singaporean travelers due to visa-free travel, a flight time of a little over 4 hours, a cooler climate, great food, friendly people, and natural beauty. There was a significant increase in Singaporean visitors after the TNG Tourism Bureau first started marketing in the Singapore-Malaysia market in 2017. The number of Singaporean travelers visiting and staying in Tainan had exceeded 24,000 people per year before COVID-19 (2019). In July and August this year, Mayor Huang Wewi-chei and Deputy Mayor Chao Ching-hui led a delegation made up of city officials, Tainan Association of Travel Agent, Dakeng Leisure Farm and other travel operators on a visit to Singapore to promote the tourism resources and quality agricultural produce of Tainan. The delegation also took part in the 2023 NATAS Travel Holidays, Singapore fall travel fair, demonstrating the city’s determination to actively compete for Singaporean visitors to Taiwan. Special thanks must be given to the MOTC Tourism Bureau for inviting travel operators to take part in 2023 ITF in Taiwan, and taking the opportunity to arrange for Singapore tour group companies to visit southern Taiwan in person. The City Government will leverage the resources and power of the Central Government to showcase and market the tourism resources of Tainan. The goal is attract more international visitors to Tainan so they can experience the beautiful landscape, great food, and diversity of the ancient capital.

TNG Tourism Bureau stated that the itinerary was organized in conjunction with the MOTC Tourism Bureau and Siraya National Scenic Area Administration. The itinerary featured emerging destinations in and around Tainan City including a canal cruise to admire the sunset and the Anping Lantern Area of the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival. They were also given a walking tour of the Blueprint Cultural & Creative Park and Wusheng Night Market, treated to the hot springs at Liu Er Mountain House, went on a yacht and fishing cruise as well as hawk feeding show at Tsengwen Dam, and sampled local Tainan cuisine at the Traditional Tainan Feast restaurant in Anping District and Taiwan Golden Buckwheat in Yujin District. Singaporean travel operators were able to experience all the different travel resources unique to Tainan within the limited time available. According to the Singaporean travel operators, the scouting trip featured many unusual travel elements. Greater emphasis will therefore be placed on developing new types of itinerary in Tainan so that more people will sign for tour groups to Taiwan in the future.

According to the TNG Tourism Bureau, the MOTC Tourism Bureau is participating in international travel fairs, hosting large events, inviting influencers and travel operators on scouting trips, and engage in digital marketing to accelerate the post-pandemic recovery in visitor numbers. Marketing of Taiwan has redoubled in target markets overseas along with active development of international source markets in order to meet the annual target for visitors to Taiwan. TNG Tourism Bureau will continue to cooperate with the Central Government on targeted advertising of niche markets to speed the recovery of the international travel market and boost the international profile of Tainan. Tainan will celebrate its 400th anniversary next year and the 2024 Taiwan Lantern Festival will return to Tainan too. Both local and overseas travelers are therefore welcome to visit Tainan for the most authentic experience of Tainan. The cool autumn weather is also a great time to visit Tainan. More events are happening now in Tainan. For more information, please visit the “Travel Tainan” website or the “Travel Tainan” Facebook fan page.
 

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