New Travel Quality Benchmark Announced: The Tourism Quality Gold Award Winners of the Third Edition Released

▲ Dubbed the "Oscars of the travel industry," the Gold Award ceremony was held on September 10.

Reported and photographed by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

To safeguard the rights and interests of travelers and uphold the quality of travel products in the market, the Republic of China Travel Quality Assurance Association (hereinafter referred to as the Quality Assurance Association) conducts an annual evaluation of premium travel products. Today (September 10) marks the award ceremony, where every competing travel itinerary must earn the approval of the Gold Quality Travel Itinerary Project Team, which consists of representatives from industry, government, academia, and other fields, in order to be recognized as a gold-quality travel itinerary. This event has become an annual highlight of Taiwan’s travel industry and is even referred to as the “Oscars of Taiwan’s tourism sector.”

▲ Staff of Royal International Express Travel Agency, which won a Gold Award for its Africa itinerary, dressed up as African animals while receiving their award.

The evaluation criteria for Gold Quality Travel Itineraries mainly include product features and innovation, marketing strategies and market analysis, flight arrangements, the smoothness of transportation routes to attractions, hotel star ratings and characteristics, meal content and features, the arrangement and visiting time of tourist sites, the reasonableness of tour package prices, optional activities and shopping arrangements, risk management, contingency measures, and traveler satisfaction. The Gold Quality Travel Itinerary is selected through a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process.

The Tourism Gold Awards are divided into three major categories: domestic travel, inbound travel, and outbound travel. Among the 63 competing itineraries, 24 were selected as this year’s winners based on region and type of travel.

Liu Xilin, Deputy Director of the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, stated that tourism operators now need to focus on "quality" to ensure consumer protection. Moreover, the 24 selected itineraries each have unique features. In the future, the Tourism Bureau will strengthen collaboration with the Quality Assurance Association to promote these Gold Quality travel routes, turning them into both popular and well-received products, while also establishing them as new benchmarks for the travel market.

Winners of the Third Edition Gold Quality Awards:

Domestic Travel Category:
Explore the Hidden Nature of Jishi — Field Organic Bicycle Joy — Well Travel Agency
Sea & Land Combo Tour of Eastern Taiwan — Lequn Travel Agency
Tainan Leisure Tour — Siraya & Jiangnan Resort Fruit Picking Day Trip — Xianglin Travel Agency

Inbound Travel Category
[Travelers from Mainland China]
Authentic Taiwan Experience – Fruit Picking, Whale & Dolphin Watching, and Hot Spring Family Tour for 7 Days — Tongxing Travel Agency
Explore Taiwan Like a Local — 5-Day In-Depth Tour — Lizhi International Travel Agency
 

Outbound Travel Category:
[Mainland China & Hong Kong/Macao Region]
Premium Beijing & Tianjin Dual-City Gourmet Tour for 5 Days — Lion Travel Agency
Golden Phoenix — Lijiang & Shangri-La In-Depth 6-Day Tour — Phoenix International Travel Agency
Huangshan Dual Heritage Sites, Hongcun Ancient Villages, and Qiandao Lake 5-Day Tour — [Incomplete segment]

[Northeast Asia Region]
Hiroshima BU RA BU RA GO 5-Day Tour — Golden Dragon Shipping Co., Ltd.
Okinawa Wa-style PAPAGO — Luxury Seaside Hotel, Tropical Dream Plant Center, Ocean Expo Park, Michijune Parade Performance 4-Day Tour — Dairyo International Travel Agency
Ancient Capital Kamakura, Shonan Cruise, ‘Yatsugatake Hoshino Kairo,’ Mt. Fuji Reflected on Five Lakes, and ‘Starry Symphony Above the Clouds’ 5-Day Tour — Pacific Travel Agency

[Southeast Asia Region]
Light . Luxury ~ Mysterious Angkor Wat: Gourmet, Art, and In-Depth 5-Day Tour — Pinguan International Travel Agency
Mobile VILLA Northern Vietnam, Ha Long Bay — Premium Waterfront Stay + Changan Lake 5-Day Tour (Deluxe Gourmet Version) — Xintai Travel Agency
Explore Malaysia and Singapore in one trip (stay at Resorts World Sentosa & LEGO Hotel) ~ Universal Studios, LEGOLAND Water Park, DIY Tin Craft 5-Day Tour – Xiongshi Travel Agency

[Americas Region]
15-Day Western USA National Parks Tour (includes 4 Major Presidential Statues, Devil’s Tower, Arches Hiking) – Ideal Travel Agency
Alaska Vacation – Winter White Wonderland & Aurora Adventure 10-Day Tour – Zion International & 8 Other Travel Agencies

[New Zealand, Australia & Oceania Region]
13-Day In-Depth New Zealand South Island Tour – Ouya Travel Agency

[Central, Southern & Northern Europe Region]
Winter Finland (incl. Sweden) 10-Day Tour – Ouya Travel Agency
Royal Forest Art Tour of Benelux 12-Day – Kaili Travel Agency
Spain & Portugal ~ British Gibraltar 13-Day Tour – Xingjian Travel Agency

[Eastern Europe & Russia Region]
Czech Republic, Austria, Enchanting Prague, Lake District Fairyland, Michelin 1-Star, High-Speed Rail Classic 11-Day Tour – Taiyi International Travel Agency
Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro 13-Day Tour – Xingjian Travel Agency

[Africa Region]
South Africa 5-Series 10-Day Tour – Royal International American Express Travel Agency

[Middle East & West Asia Region]
Azure Turkey – Antalya & Saffron World Heritage Full Tour 11-Day – Xin’an Travel Agency