The Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has ordered the suspension of long-distance one-day tour packages departing from Taipei. Industry operators noted that the decline in Mainland Chinese tourists has significantly reduced the demand for tour buses, prompting many bus companies to join the cutthroat competition in the domestic tourism market by offering cheap and extensive itineraries. With some one-day tours now being taken off the shelves, there are growing concerns among operators that more buses may be left without routes, leading to further price wars to capture what remains of the market and creating a vicious cycle.
The Tourism Bureau stated that one-day domestic tours originating from Taipei—such as those to Alishan, Wuling Farm, Qingjing Farm, Smangus, Guanwu, Kenting, and Hualien—are to be removed from sale due to prolonged vehicle usage or varying road conditions, which present high operational risks. For tours that require an early departure and late return, travel agencies should implement driver rotation systems, adopt diverse transportation modes, or adjust and modify itineraries.
Taiwan’s domestic tourism market sees over 150 million trips annually, with a value exceeding NT$300 billion. However, due to factors such as convenient transportation, most people opt for self-driving travel, with group tours accounting for only around 5%. In the past, these were mostly two-day tours, but the increase in the number of tour buses also led to a rise in one-day tour options, generating a market worth billions of dollars each year. This sector will now also be affected.
“It is estimated that there are currently between 1,000 and 1,500 tour buses dedicated to Mainland Chinese group tours, which have been idled due to the drop in arrivals. Some have joined the competition in the domestic one-day tour market, making the price competition even fiercer,” said a tourism operator surnamed Li. He added that with Mainland Chinese group tours no longer running and the one-day tour market shrinking, the situation of undercutting prices to attract customers will worsen.
The tourism industry pointed out that independent Mainland Chinese travelers visiting Taiwan also participate in long-distance one-day tours departing from Taipei, though they usually do not take tour buses and instead often charter seven- or nine-seater minibuses. While these tours may cover long distances, safety regulations are harder to enforce. Reducing long-haul travel in one-day tours departing from Taipei could encourage more independent Mainland Chinese travelers to stay longer in central and southern Taiwan, which would benefit local accommodation, dining, and consumer sectors—but the overall impact is expected to be limited.