The southern Taiwan skies are bustling with activity — China Airlines to launch “Kaohsiung–Hokkaido” flights in July

Reporter: You T-Ru / Compiled report

The skies over Kaohsiung are bustling with activity — Following EVA Air’s December launch of Tokyo flights last year, and Japan’s Peach Aviation opening the “Kaohsiung–Osaka” route in January this year, China Airlines is now entering the market with great momentum. It will commence flights between “Kaohsiung and Hokkaido” on July 1 this year, operating three round-trips per week. The airline aims to bring more travelers from Hokkaido to southern Taiwan, making future southbound entries and exits more convenient.


▲ In addition to introducing multiple flight routes, Kaohsiung has also tapped into the cruise market. (Photo provided by Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau)

Director of the Tourism Bureau Hsu Chuan-sheng noted that Kaohsiung enjoys pleasant winter weather, making it an ideal destination for Japanese tourists seeking to escape the cold. Japanese visitors rank as the city’s second-largest tourist source, with approximately 1,421,550 arrivals in Taiwan last year, around 270,012 of whom visited Kaohsiung — a 1.88% increase compared to 2012. The municipal government also places great emphasis on the Japanese market. Last year, aside from participating in the Kansai Airport Travel Fair in Japan to promote warm winter getaways in Kaohsiung, the mayor personally led a delegation to Mie Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, and Yokohama City to market Kaohsiung’s tourism offerings.

Currently, China Airlines operates flights from Kaohsiung to Tokyo, Osaka, and Okinawa. The airline stated that due to growing demand from the Japanese market and its confidence in Kaohsiung’s development potential, in addition to launching the new “Kaohsiung–Hokkaido” route with three weekly flights starting in July, the “Kaohsiung–Osaka” route will continue to operate daily. Meanwhile, the “Kaohsiung–Tokyo” and “Kaohsiung–Okinawa” routes will be increased to seven and five weekly flights respectively. Starting July 1, the total number of flights from Kaohsiung to Japan will rise sharply from 14 to 22 per week, providing residents in southern Taiwan with more convenient international travel options.