27 Best Travel Routes – The “All-Taiwan Food Festival” Kicks Off

  ▲The 2013 Food Festival has kicked off, this time not limited to an exhibition hall but with “all of Taiwan” as the festival ground. (Photo / Reporter Chen Zi-Yin)

Reported by Chen Zi-Yin / Taipei

Where is the food festival being held? The answer is: all over Taiwan. That’s right, from August to December, it’s the All-Taiwan Food Festival. This year, for the first time, the Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has stepped out of the exhibition venue and, through the event website, launched a series of tourism-meets-food activities with the theme “Good Fortune Travels Through Taiwan,” in collaboration with national scenic areas, tourist hotels, and restaurants. A launch press conference was held today (the 5th), where various scenic areas, hotels, and restaurants all showed off their signature offerings, creating a lively atmosphere.

The aim of the “2013 Taiwan Food Series Events” is to closely integrate travel with food, breaking away from the traditional fixed venue in the north. In partnership with 13 national scenic areas, 46 tourist hotels, and 75 restaurants across Taiwan, the event offers promotional deals, allowing travelers to enjoy the Food Month no matter where they are. The activities are divided into four phases – the Top 10 Night Market Food PK, the Taiwan Food Classics Exhibition, the Taiwan Food Challenge, and the Group Meal Showdown. Among them, the Taiwan Food Classics Exhibition in August is the highlight, where each national


▲The food exhibition gathers top chefs, each showcasing their signature skills. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

A total of 46 restaurants across northern, central, southern, and eastern Taiwan are offering a 12% discount on purchases, including buffets, premium set meals, and hotel restaurants. Popular hotel meal vouchers can also be purchased directly on the official food exhibition series website, with discounts starting as low as 47%.

Transportation Minister Ye Changkuang said: "True Taiwanese cuisine combines local ingredients, local culture, scenic landscapes, and human touch. We also hope to promote Taiwanese food internationally." Tourism Bureau Director Xie Weijun added: "This venue-free food exhibition features 27 travel routes designed for both domestic and international visitors to not only enjoy delicious food but also explore Taiwan. For example, the August-started Golden Needle Flower Season includes golden needle flower meals, embodying the concept of eating as you travel."


▲National scenic areas have launched the best travel-and-food routes. The photo shows mussels from Matsu. (Photo / Reporter Chen Ziying)

Additionally, there is an online voting campaign — “Three Hearts, Two Minds, Come and Support” — running from August 1 to August 31, where the public can go online to support their favorite eateries. Each week, one hundred thousand meal vouchers and two thousand premium set meals will be drawn. The “Food Little Chef” interactive quiz game allows participants to learn about the featured ingredients of scenic areas and join a lucky draw with a total prize pool of NT$150,000.

For details, visit the event website >>2013 Taiwan Food Series Events