Danish travelers are the most generous when staying in Taiwan, spending an average of NT$4,372 per night.

Reporter You Ru / Reported from Taipei

Foreign travelers visiting Taiwan are paying varying hotel rates, with those from “Denmark” spending the most on accommodations. Hotels.com recently released its Hotel Price Index (HPI®) report for the first half of 2013, showing a steady upward trend in Taiwan’s tourism market. Notably, Danish visitors were the most generous, with an average hotel room rate of NT$4,372 per night.


▲ Peggy Chuang, Marketing Director of Hotels.com Greater China. (Photo / Provided by the company)

Due to the depreciation of the Japanese yen and the Australian dollar, the average hotel prices in some major cities across the Asia-Pacific region dropped in the first half of 2013. This not only affected the number of Japanese tourists visiting Taiwan but also led them to prefer more affordable lodging options. The study revealed that in the first half of 2013, the average cost per night for a hotel room in Taiwan was NT$3,693, a 6% decrease compared to the same period last year. Among the 11 locations in Taiwan covered by the HPI, Taipei had the highest average room rate at NT$3,902 per night, surpassing Tainan, which held the top spot in the first half of 2012. However, this figure still represented a 4% decline from the previous year.

The government has been actively promoting Taiwan internationally in recent years, and both domestic and international visitor numbers have shown an upward trend in the first half of this year. In addition to being a popular choice for neighboring Asian countries, Taiwan has also become one of the main tourist destinations for Europeans and Americans, with a relatively higher willingness to stay in more expensive hotels. Danish and German tourists stood out the most, ranking first and second with average nightly payments of NT$4,372 and NT$4,313, respectively. The Philippines followed closely behind with NT$4,287, securing third place.

Peggy Chuang, Marketing Director of Hotels.com Greater China, stated that the higher living standards and consumer spending power of people from Western countries are the main reasons for their “generous” spending on accommodations in Taiwan. Regarding the destinations within Taiwan chosen by foreign visitors, the first half of 2013 saw a concentration in major cities and regions. Taipei City was the most favored, ranking highest, followed by New Taipei City, with Taichung taking third place.

The report indicated that among the overseas travel destinations preferred by Taiwanese travelers in the first half of 2013, Japan remained the top choice. Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto took the top three spots, demonstrating the positive tourism impact brought about by the depreciation of the yen. Coupled with promotional offers from low-cost airlines, Japan solidified its position as the most popular destination.

In other parts of Asia, Bangkok experienced the fastest growth, climbing two spots to rank within the top five. Eight of the top ten cities in the rankings are in Asia, with only Paris in France and Las Vegas in the United States from Europe and America making the list. This shows that when planning overseas trips, Taiwanese travelers still prioritize nearby countries that are economically affordable and culturally similar.