Southern Taiwan's Tourism Renaissance: A NT$10 Billion Investment

Boosting Travel to Taiwan's Sun-Kissed South and Outlying Islands

The Tourism Administration has unveiled a comprehensive plan, backed by a substantial NT$10 billion (US$334.12 million) investment through 2030, aimed at revitalizing tourism in southern Taiwan and its outlying islands.

The announcement was made by Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) at a forum in Japan’s Tottori Prefecture, emphasizing the strategy's focus on drawing more international visitors to less-explored regions of Taiwan. The initiative, branded as "Smiling Southern Taiwan (微笑南台灣)," encompasses much of the nation's subtropical territories.

This substantial investment will be strategically allocated to enhance existing cultural attractions, including museums dedicated to art and history. Moreover, the plan prioritizes locations that showcase Taiwan's natural beauty and local culture, receiving preliminary endorsement from the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.

Specific projects include NT$300 million in subsidies for Tainan, which will be used to thematically link the Hatta Yoichi Memorial Park (八田與一紀念園), Wusanto Reservoir (烏山頭水庫), Zengwen Dam (曾文水庫), and local hot springs. The funds will also support the construction of a visitor's center for a proposed greenway at Taijiang National Park (台江國家公園).

Hualien County will receive a similar injection of NT$300 million to upgrade the Yufu Biking Trail (玉富自行車道) in Yuli Township (玉里) and improve tourism infrastructure in the mountainous regions.

Furthermore, the agency plans to upgrade infrastructure at Kenting National Park in Pingtung County, enhancing visitor comfort and convenience, along with developing attractions centered around fishing, diving, and watersports in Penghu County.

In terms of promoting tourism from Japan, Taiwan aims to attract 300,000 more Japanese visitors this year. Director-General Chou acknowledged the challenge, given that 1,319,892 Japanese visited Taiwan last year, a significant 42.2 percent increase from 2023, when travel was still impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An additional 300,000 visitors would represent a 22.7 percent annual increase.

Despite the progress, Japanese tourism to Taiwan has only recovered to approximately 60 percent of pre-pandemic levels. The depreciating yen is identified as a factor influencing travel enthusiasm.

Chien Yu-yen (簡余晏), chairwoman of the Taiwan Visitors’ Association, underscored the importance of enhancing Taiwan's appeal to international travelers, emphasizing the need to concentrate on delivering high-quality experiences over merely achieving numerical targets.

The forum in Yonago, attended by Chou and Chien, also marked Tigerair Taiwan's inaugural flight to the city. Yonago is now Tigerair's 22nd destination. The next forum will be held in Miaoli County.