Visit bookstores and listen to the stories of their owners—rediscover the joy of travel through your ears.

▲ Yue Le Bookstore, currently in its trial operation phase, will also be included in future cultural experience itineraries. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ruizhong, the same below)

Reported by Chen Ruizhong / Taipei

The theater production "The Bookstore in the Alley," produced by Dreamland Cultural & Creative, was simultaneously broadcast in Taiwan and mainland China, achieving excellent ratings. As the story is set against the backdrop of Taiwan’s independent bookstores, it also sparked a new wave of interest among mainland tourists in Taiwan’s bookstore culture. Riding this trend, Dreamland Cultural & Creative, drawing on its own experience and in collaboration with 40 independent bookstores spread across Taiwan’s 21 counties and cities, has curated over ten cultural experience tours themed around "independent bookstores and creative shops."

Compared to conventional sightseeing, these cultural experience tours emphasize personal interaction, as the owners of each bookstore and creative shop share their business philosophies and entrepreneurial journeys as "storytellers." This approach shifts the focus of the trip to human connection and emotion, while also allowing visitors to explore alleyways and experience the warmth of Taiwan firsthand.

▲ Taiwan’s independent bookstores, each with its unique charm, have become emerging attractions for many independent travelers from the mainland.

The first two launched routes are centered around Tamsui and Yilan. The Tamsui itinerary includes attractions such as the Fisheries Life Culture Image Museum, Herb Street House, Tapo Curry, and Youhe Bookstore; the Yilan route features Stay Traveler’s Bookstore and The Chef by the Sea, enabling more travelers to delve deeper into local culture and lifestyle through the stories of each shop owner, rediscovering local creativity and Taiwan through their feet and ears.

Su Limei, CEO of Dreamland Cultural & Creative, stated that "The Bookstore in the Alley" combines literature, poetry, and popular culture, presenting a significant challenge to the market and facing skepticism about its feasibility. However, the team remains motivated to persevere. In the future, they also hope the drama will create new opportunities for Taiwan’s film, culture, and tourism industries.

▲ Li Yijin believes travel offers many unique stories.

Li Beifen, Vice General Manager of Sina Taiwan and Dreamland Cultural & Creative’s newest partner, also noted that since the opening of cross-strait independent travel, Taiwan’s alleys, bookstores, and other cultural elements have become defining features of its tourism appeal. She looks forward to the cultural experience tours attracting more visitors to Taiwan to experience its local culture and hospitality.

Li Yijin, who plays a key role in the drama, also shared that during filming, she discovered how many distinctive shops Taiwan has. Visiting unique small bookstores while traveling can offer many different stories, making for a wonderful experience.

▲ Liu Yuqian has been cycling around Taiwan for five consecutive years.

Another actor, Liu Yuqian, mentioned that he has been cycling around Taiwan for five years in a row and feels that a place takes on a different atmosphere when it has a bookstore. He hopes his work can help more people see Taiwan’s creative industry.