Breaking the "Physical Form": Taiwan's Food Exhibition Combines Attractions with Online Discounts

 
▲ The Taiwan Food Classic Exhibition presents food in combination with scenic spots, making "all of Taiwan" the exhibition area. (Photo / Provided by the Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications)

Reported by the Tourism Center / Taipei

This year, Taiwan's classic food exhibition has broken away from traditional formats, venturing outside physical venues for the first time. Themed "Fortune Turns with Travel Across Taiwan," the event collaborates with national scenic areas, tourist hotels, and major restaurants to launch an "Exhibition of Classic Taiwanese Cuisine Integrated into Travel Itineraries." The goal is to offer the public a deeper culinary experience across Taiwan’s famous attractions.

Following the enthusiastic response to the "Hotel Brand Day" launched last week, the Tourism Bureau and online operators within national scenic areas have introduced the "Weekend Good Deal Day." For two consecutive Saturdays and Sundays, limited online reservations are available. Visitors can enjoy exclusive merchant discounts by presenting their confirmed booking vouchers at participating restaurants.

The first highlight is the "Hueilai Guanguan Hot Spring Resort" on the Shan Shan National Scenic Area travel route, offering a double package that includes a soak in the Enjoy Hot Springs Bathhouse plus a double lunch (or dinner), originally priced at NT$2,920, now discounted to NT$1,999. The booking rush starts at 12:00 noon on August 24. The Guanguan Hot Spring area is the most famous hot spring destination in central Taiwan. Even in summer, the cool mountain climate combined with a hot spring soak helps boost metabolism and flush out internal heat.

On August 25 and August 31, the Siraya National Scenic Area travel route will feature set meals at Longhu Mountain Eco-Farm, Zouma Lake Ranch Prairie Restaurant, Nanyuan Garden Leisure Farm Evergreen Restaurant, Shan Furong Resort Hotel, Meiling Mass Restaurant, and Tangquan Meidi Hot Spring Resort, all at a uniform discounted price of NT$2,500. Many dishes incorporate local specialties from the Siraya Scenic Area, such as Dongshan coffee spare ribs, purple perilla plum chicken, Yujing mango juice shrimp balls, and First Ding Five Reservoirs clay pot fish head. On the final day (September 1), offerings will also include buffet meals at Dongsen Marine Hot Spring Hotel in the Northeast Coast & Yilan Coast National Scenic Area, as well as afternoon tea at Fleur Hotel’s Fulong Branch, which will be launched successively online.

Meanwhile, the "Three Hearts and Two Minds" voting campaign is seeing fierce competition among top contenders. "Haibawang Restaurant" has surged ahead, rapidly gaining votes each day, currently holding first place with 7,678 votes. Pizza Olmo’s Charcoal-New Italian Baking Restaurant and Mushe Hot Spring Resort are close behind, creating a three-way race. In the hotel category, Fleur Hotel Tamsui Fisherman’s Wharf Branch and Kenting Fuhwa Resort Hotel are also neck-and-neck in the vote count.