Tourists flock to Taiwan: Nearly 5 million in first half of year, with sharp increases from Korea and China

▲ Between January and June this year, over 4.82 million tourists visited Taiwan. (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Taiwan is not far from reaching its goal of 9 million tourists this year to become a major tourism destination. The latest data from the Tourism Bureau shows that between January and June this year, over 4.82 million tourists visited Taiwan, marking a 26% increase, with particularly sharp growth from Korean and Chinese travelers. The government has set a target of 9 million visitors for this year, and the first-half tourism performance has been outstanding.

According to the latest statistics released by the Tourism Bureau, the number of tourists visiting Taiwan between January and June this year reached 4,821,384, a significant increase of 26.69% compared to 3,805,506 during the same period last year. Among the international visitors to Taiwan in the first half of this year, Chinese tourists accounted for more than half, totaling 2,552,809; visitors from Asia between January and June amounted to 4,362,833, making up about 90% of the total number of tourists, an increase of nearly 30% compared to the same period last year.

Notably, among Asian tourists, those from mainland China reached 1,961,929, far exceeding half of the Tourism Bureau’s target of 3.35 million for this year, showing a growth rate of 38.45%, which exceeded expectations. Visitors from Hong Kong and Macau totaled 659,487, an increase of 18.08%. In the first half of this year’s Asian tourist growth rankings, South Korean tourists saw the highest increase, with 262,814 visitors, a dramatic surge of 79.81%. They were followed by Filipino tourists, who increased by 41.19% compared to the same period last year, totaling 69,459. Mainland Chinese tourists ranked third in growth rate, increasing by 38.45% compared to the previous year.

In addition, tourists from Japan, India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia all showed positive growth compared to the same period last year, with increases ranging from approximately 16% to 21%. Although Thailand’s situation has stabilized, the number of tourists visiting Taiwan between January and June still decreased by 1.45%, making it the only Asian country to see a decline in visitors. (Source: Central News Agency)