By Mewati Sitaram
In a significant move Taiwan’s Ministry of Transportation and Communication is now targeting the significant consumer markets of India as important new expansion points including Indonesia. Besides, they are cultivating the international tourist markets of Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Taiwan Tourism invited ten travel agencies specialising in incentive travel to Taiwan from June 20 to 25. This marks the first post-pandemic group, aiming to “prioritise the short-term development of the MICE market and target the mass market in the long term” through a phased marketing strategy.
They also organised a ‘Taiwan-India Tourism B2B Networking Session’ on June 24, attracting about 15 businesses from travel agencies, hotels, and the tourism and leisure industry.
Taiwan tourism highlighted that approximately 40,000 Indian tourists visited Taiwan annually before the pandemic. With its rapidly growing economic strength and diverse culture, the “new wealthy class” and “business traveller segment” are highly promising and valuable markets. This year’s visitor numbers are expected to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Through this inspection and exchange meeting, Indian businesses gained a deeper understanding of Taiwan, laying the foundation for strengthened cooperation between Taiwanese and Indian tourism industries. It is also hoped that direct flights between the two regions will resume soon, making travel between Taiwan and India more convenient, comfortable, and economical.
The itinerary for this first group focused on Yilan, allowing Indian businesses to experience Taiwan’s rich, local, and diverse tourism resources and reception quality. Highlights included visits to Toucheng Farm for rural life and eco-tourism, the National Centre for Traditional Arts to appreciate Taiwan’s nostalgic cultural heritage, historical sites, and traditional architecture, and enjoying the beautiful mountain and sea scenery of the Northeast Coast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area. During their stay in Taipei, the group also visited the secret passage of the Grand Hotel and experienced retro costume changes in Dadaocheng. The Indian businesses were impressed and gave positive feedback.