Taipei ranks among the top 50 most popular tourist cities in the U.S.

By MOOK Scenic Spots Travel Life Network, reported and compiled by Li Xinyi

According to data from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) "World Tourism Barometer" for August 2011, Taiwan's tourism revenue grew by 32.6% in the first quarter of last year, second only to Singapore in Asia; and data from Hotels.com, which provides global online hotel booking services, also showed that in 2011, Taipei ranked third among the favorite travel cities for Chinese tourists, and for the first time, it claimed the 49th spot on the list of popular travel cities for American tourists.

Foreign tourism to Taiwan is booming like never before, and Taiwanese outbound tourism has also seen significant growth. In 2011, over 9.5 million Taiwanese traveled abroad, and in 2012, the number was 9.4 million, a 17.6% increase compared to 2009. Coupled with the successive launch of direct flights from South Korea, Japan, and mainland China, and optimistic prospects for Taiwan’s tourism development, Hotels.com, a global online hotel booking service, came to Taiwan to promote its loyalty rewards program “Welcome Rewards.” When travelers accumulate 10 nights of stays at qualifying “Welcome Rewards” hotels—which can include various types such as chain hotels, independent inns, or small family-run guesthouses—Hotels.com will offer one night of free hotel accommodation. The maximum value of the free night equals the average nightly rate of those 10 paid nights.

Consumers can accumulate 10 nights of stays in various ways, for example, by booking hotels for 10 friends or colleagues through Hotels.com to receive one free night; or for those planning a family trip during the summer vacation, booking two double rooms and staying for three weeks can earn four free nights. Johan Svanstrom, Vice President and Managing Director of Hotels.com Asia Pacific, said that this rewards program offers over 65,000 hotel choices worldwide, providing far more benefits than most individual hotel promotions. Services provided by Hotels.com include a lowest price guarantee, no cancellation fees, mobile app access, and over 150,000 hotels to choose from across 200 countries.

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