Fees for Tohoku Hidden Gems Autumn Foliage Tours in Japan Rise; European Off-Season Tours Drop by 20,000

▲The Quality Assurance Association announces new seasonal reasonable group tour fees. (Photo / CNA, reporter Chi-Hsiang Ju)

Reported by Yu Chia-Yun / Taipei

To welcome the upcoming autumn foliage tours and New Year holiday season, travel agencies have been offering a variety of travel products for consumers since summer. The Travel Quality Assurance Association of the Republic of China today announced reasonable group tour fees for various destinations. Among them, Japan’s autumn foliage itineraries remain the most popular travel destination for Taiwanese travelers. Due to the increasing popularity of Tohoku’s hidden gems in recent years and Far Eastern Air Transport’s November launch of chartered flights to Ube and Tottori, overall group tour fees have risen slightly by 2,000 to 5,000 NT dollars depending on the region. Meanwhile, South Korea, which focuses mainly on winter skiing tourism, has seen a slight drop of 2,000 to 3,000 NT dollars.

For other popular autumn foliage destinations such as the United States and Canada, the focus before mid-October is on longer-duration foliage tours, while after mid-October, itineraries of 7 to 9 days dominate. The Quality Assurance Association also noted that due to significant fare reductions compared to the previous season (July to September), group tour fees for the western and eastern United States could drop by 8,000 to 20,000 NT dollars. Compared to the same period, apart from Hawaii seeing an increase of 8,000 to 12,000 NT dollars, price differences elsewhere are not significant. Additionally, Canada, a renowned foliage destination, faced tight flight availability in Toronto during October. However, with China Airlines launching direct flights between Taipei and Vancouver in June this year, travelers now have more diverse options.

From November to December, Europe enters its off-season for tourism. Itineraries will be adjusted to winter versions focusing on Christmas markets, New Year celebrations, and aurora viewing. Also, as China Airlines resumes flights to London starting December, market prices have become more flexible. With reductions in airfare, hotel costs, and transportation fees, European group tour fees can drop by 5,000 to 20,000 NT dollars compared to the previous season. In the Oceania region, this year has seen price increases due to rising demand for hotels amid increased flights to New Zealand and Australia from mainland China. The Quality Assurance Association also advises travelers to book flights and hotels early.