The Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival offers a one-day tour to explore romantic filming locations

By MOOK Travel Life Network, Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported

 

The 2013 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival will be held on February 14, 17, and 24. To let more people experience the nostalgic charm of Pingxi and take part in the emotional moment of releasing sky lanterns for blessings, the New Taipei City Tourism Bureau produced two online promotional videos and launched a "watch the video, get a gift" campaign. Netizens who share touching scenes and filming spots after watching the videos have a chance to win convenience store vouchers. In addition, from February 1 to March 31, a one-day tour to visit the filming locations featured in the videos is also available, featuring two routes: “2013 Shuangxi Bicycle Trail · Pingxi Sky Lantern · Jingting Old Street Tour” and “2013 Spring Tour to Houtong · Shiding · Jingting Happiness Journey.” Each tour costs 990 NTD.

The two online promotional videos produced by the New Taipei City Tourism Bureau this time include one created in collaboration with director Chen Dapu, who directed the film "Pick the Youth." It combines Pingxi branch line attractions such as Siguangtan Bridge, Jing’an Suspension Bridge, Houtong Shrine, Jingting Railway Station, Pingxi Old Street, and Sanya Bangkong, telling a sentimental love story with a sense of time that portrays the historic scenery unique to Pingxi. The other video invites internet celebrity Axi to parody the “Word of the Day” segment, using a modern interpretation to explain the contemporary meaning of love behind the “2013 Love Character,” and encourages netizens to vote online for their chosen love character to be printed on a sky lantern and sent flying into the sky to make wishes come true.

In conjunction with the video campaign, the Tourism Bureau is holding a “Watch the Video, Get a Gift” event. Netizens who join the New Taipei Travel fan page and log in to the Hot Deals section to participate can share “the most touching scene and filming spot you saw in the video!” for a chance to win a 200 NTD convenience store voucher. There are 50 such prizes available. In addition, the Tourism Bureau has partnered with Gui Guan Travel to launch the “Happiness Original Flavor Journey – In-Depth Tour of New Taipei, Low-Carbon Forest Breathing” tour from February 1 to March 31. Participants can visit the filming locations in person, and the first 100 registrants will also receive a limited-edition 2013 Pingxi Sky Lantern souvenir and an eco-friendly Love the Earth Lock & Lock set worth over 500 NTD. The discounted price per person is only 990 NTD, and those who register with a coupon from the 2013 New Taipei City Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival brochure can get a 100 NTD cash discount. Additionally, those who sign up for the Shuangxi-Pingxi tour will receive extra local souvenirs from the Shuangxi District Office. For more details, visit the New Taipei City Tourism website: tour.ntpc.gov.tw.