Get ready to snag great deals — the Taipei International Travel Fair kicks off on October 27, with 1,500 lucky draw gift bags given out daily

▲The 2017 Taipei International Travel Fair is set to open on October 27. (Photo / Provided by the Taiwan Visitors Association)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

The largest annual event, the 2017 Taipei International Travel Fair (Taipei International Travel Fair, ITF), will take place from October 27 to 30. This year, over 60 countries or regions, 950 organizations, and 1,650 booths will participate, under the theme “Explore Taiwan, Discover the World.” Unlike previous years, the organizers have canceled the grand prize draw and instead pooled all prizes into lucky draw gift bags, with a total prize value exceeding NT$3 million. A total of 1,500 gift bags will be given out each day, totaling 6,000.

To get a gift bag, participants need to take part in the stamp-collecting activity. There are a total of 15 stamp collection points: seven in Hall 1, two in Zone H on the second floor of Hall 1, and six in Hall 3. The final gift bag collection point is at the service counter in Zone H on the second floor of Hall 1. Prizes include an iPad mini 4 16G Wi-Fi version, round-trip tickets from Taipei to Bangkok on NokScoot Airlines, a Samsonite 28T suitcase, accommodation vouchers, meal vouchers, and premium souvenirs. This year’s gift bags also include themed merchandise from Taiwan’s tourism ambassador “Officer Oh Bear,” with four different Oh Bear products offered over the four days: sports towels, cutlery sets, character phone stands, and character coin purses.

To facilitate quick entry for visitors, the organizers have introduced a new service: at seven entrances across the three exhibition zones, EasyCard readers have been installed. In addition to advance or on-site ticket purchases, visitors can also enter directly by tapping their EasyCards (Hall 1 first floor: Entrances 4, 11, 13-1, 22; Zone H on the second floor of Hall 1: Entrance H1; Hall 3: Entrances A, B). With the entry receipt, visitors can also claim a limited-edition bottle of mineral water at the service counter. Additionally, from now until October 26 (the day before the fair opens), visitors can purchase discounted fair tickets for NT$180 in advance through the ibon ticketing system, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK Mart ticket machines, or the udn ticketing website.

In response to the need for rest areas amid long walks in previous years, the organizers have added multiple “reading and resting zones” for visitors to take a break.

Basic Information about the 2017 ITF Taipei International Travel Fair
'Exhibition Dates: Friday, October 27, 2017, to Monday, October 30, 2017
'Venue: Hall 1 and Zone H on the second floor of Hall 1, as well as Hall 3 of the Taipei World Trade Center
'Inquiry Phone: 02-2752-2398