Summer Travel Expo Expected to Draw Over 300,000 Visitors – Tourism Bureau and Airlines Unveil Hidden Gems

▲Parkour and extreme dance performance by FOCA Formosa Circus Art.

Reported and photographed by You Tzu-ju / Taipei

The 2015 Taipei International Travel Fair will be held from May 22 to May 25 at the World Trade Center Hall 1, with an expected attendance of over 300,000 visitors this year. On the opening day, Vice President Wu Den-yih attended the event, which was also inaugurated by tourism bureaus from various countries stationed in Taiwan, major airlines, travel agencies, and local governments. The exhibition gathered 450 renowned exhibitors with over 1,200 booths. Airlines offered special deals, while the tourism bureau hosted live performance events.


▲The 2015 Taipei International Travel Fair will be held from May 22 to May 25 at the World Trade Center Hall 1, with an expected attendance of over 300,000 visitors.

For performances,the highlights include the Korean performance group “Hwarang,” making their first appearance at the travel fair, who performed a classic stage play with Chinese lyrics. Additionally, FOCA Formosa Circus Art wowed audiences with parkour and extreme dance—combining street-style parkour with aerial flips, handstands, and human pyramids.

For airlines,Japan Airlines offers round-trip tickets to Tokyo/Osaka/Nagoya starting from NT$6,999 (excluding tax), and 3-day-2-night Tokyo/Osaka free-and-easy packages for under NT$10,000 (excluding tax). EVA Air has Hong Kong round-trip flights starting from NT$3,199 (pre-tax), and Macau 2-day-1-night holiday packages from EVA Holidays starting from NT$6,400 (pre-tax). Singapore Airlines is offering on-site registration for European group tours, with a NT$10,000 discount for the second traveler.


▲China Airlines lets you take a selfie with flight attendants.

Themed “Make Your Flight Dreams Come True,” China Airlines is giving away two flight experience courses (worth NT$60,000 each) to lucky customers who place orders for premium travel products on-site or purchase tickets on the China Airlines website. Visitors can also take selfies with flight attendants and receive limited-edition China Airlines postcards from the expo.

TransAsia Airways is promoting six key destinations: Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Macau. Macau free-and-easy packages start from just NT$8,388 (3 days 2 nights, pre-tax), while a five-day group tour of Jiangnan water towns is available for just NT$10,600 (pre-tax) per person. There are also several discounted Japanese group packages, including a 5-day Tokyo theme park tour, a romantic 5-day Kansai tour, and a 4-day “Flowery Okinawa Galaxy Explorer” cruise, all starting from just NT$10,900 (pre-tax) per person.

For tourism bureaus,Emelia Yen, representative of the Guam Tourism Bureau, said three themed carnival events will allow visitors to experience the diverse charm of the island. The Guam International Music Festival, kicking off on June 5 and 6, will open the early summer season with a wave of music, featuring pop, rock, hip-hop, and tropical island rhythms for an energetic island holiday. Then, from June 12 to 14, the “Guam Micronesia Islands Carnival” will be held under the theme “Through Time – Sailing to the Pacific Arts Festival.”


▲The Guam Tourism Bureau’s three themed carnivals will let visitors experience different sides of island life.

Marianas invited rising star Xiong Xiong to unveil sexy photos taken on Tinian Island. Xiong Xiong will also join fans at the Mariana Tourism Bureau booth for a friendly competition in making star sand wish bottles. Visitors can try making their own with real star sand from Penghu. Mariana Tourism Bureau Manager Tsai Pi-ju stated that direct flights from Taiwan to Saipan will begin in September, with two weekly charter flights, making travel more convenient for future visitors.

%Flights from Taiwan to Saipan will begin in September, with two weekly charter flights, making travel more convenient for future visitors.


Macau Tourism Bureau’s “Walk and Discover” routes were well received last year, and this year they’re introducing four new walking routes. These guide visitors through the Our Lady of Fatima Parish, St. Francis Xavier Parish, Coloane’s Taipa Grande Portuguese-style houses, and Coloane town area. The eight routes encourage visitors to stroll through Macau and experience its unique charm on foot.

The Mainland China tourism delegation includes participants from Guangdong, Sichuan, and Chongqing. Guangdong Province organized nine regional tourism bureaus including Guangzhou and Zhuhai, presenting under the theme “Dynamic Guangdong,” showcasing four major tourism brands: Lingnan culture, vibrant business hubs, golden coastlines, and gourmet paradises. Guangdong noted that Taiwan is a key source of tourists and hopes to introduce more of the province to Taiwanese travelers through diverse tourism information.

%With the theme of vitality, Guangdong highlights cultural richness, dynamic commercial hubs, beautiful coastlines, and food paradises.


From the Sichuan Tourism Bureau, Lan Jingxiong, head of the Sichuan Tourism Association delegation, said this year they are launching a new logo and promoting lesser-known local attractions in Sichuan for Taiwanese visitors, such as Daocheng Yading, pastoral tours around Chengdu, and the Shunan Bamboo Sea—destinations they hope will attract more Taiwanese travelers and expand the market.