2017 Taiwan Hot Spring Food Festival Kicks Off: Nationwide Promotions Aim to "Make Soaking a Habit"
▲The 2017 Taiwan Hot Spring & Gourmet Festival kicked off in Guanziling, Tainan. (Photo / Reporter Lai Wen-hsuan)
Reporter Lai Wen-hsuan / Tainan
As autumn and winter arrive, so does the hot spring season. The Tourism Bureau’s cross-year hot spring extravaganza “2017–18 Taiwan’s Best Hot Springs” series officially launched on September 28. This year’s theme, centered around a “New Hot Spring Lifestyle,” chose the Guanziling Hot Spring area in Tainan to host the launch ceremony. A series of promotional events for hot springs in both the southern and northern regions will follow, aiming to ignite a nationwide hot spring tourism boom and make hot spring bathing a daily habit.
This year’s regional launch ceremony revolves around the concept of a “New Hot Spring Lifestyle,” promoting the idea of “Enjoying good hot springs daily, and becoming healthier every day!” It symbolizes embracing a fresh start and rewriting the way we think about hot spring bathing. The launch event also featured Guanziling’s unique local hot spring mud ritual — the “Mud Totem Blessing” ceremony. Legend has it that applying mud totems on the forehead, nose, cheeks, and chin brings abundant happiness, with each body part representing wisdom, wealth, popularity, and good fortune, respectively.
▲Guanziling Hot Spring is Taiwan’s only and one of only three mud hot springs in the world, with a special local “Mud Totem Blessing” ceremony. (Photo / Reporter Lai Wen-hsuan)
Deputy Director of the Tourism Bureau Chen Shu-hui said that there are only three mud hot springs in the world — in Italy, Japan, and Taiwan’s Guanziling. Visitors here can enjoy a world-class mud hot spring experience without leaving the country. She added that Taiwan is home to distinctive hot springs across the island, from south to north, including even the offshore Green Island Sunrise Hot Spring, allowing people to find a nearby hot spring to enjoy.
▲%Jilong's night market is a vibrant hub that captures the essence of daily life in Taiwan. (Original note: Data source: Taiwan's tourism department)
In the past, people associated hot spring bathing only with autumn and winter, differing from the international view of soaking year-round for health benefits, which has led to distinct peak and off-peak seasons for Taiwan’s hot spring industry. Lee Chi-tien, chairman of the Republic of China Hot Spring Tourism Association, noted that this event connects 19 hot spring areas across Taiwan for a hot spring gourmet carnival. Starting with the launch in Guanziling, a series of activities will follow throughout the country. Although summer used to see fewer bathers due to high temperatures, he expressed gratitude to the Tourism Bureau for continuously promoting the events, fostering the impression that hot springs can be enjoyed all year round and sparking a nationwide hot spring tourism craze, turning hot spring bathing into a daily habit.
▲The 2017 Taiwan Hot Spring Gourmet Festival kicks off, with a series of events at hot spring areas nationwide to follow. (Photo / Reporter Lai Wen-hsuan)
This year’s Taiwan’s Best Hot Springs series focuses on key events in both the southern and northern regions. The south highlights Guanziling, Baolai, and Sichongxi as main marketing spots, while the north spotlights Beitou, Wulai, and Jinshan. By integrating regional hot spring promotions, the campaign stimulates consumption starting in autumn and winter, while also promoting spring and summer offers, allowing travelers visiting during peak seasons to also take advantage of early-bird discounts.
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