Expanding into the Indian and Singaporean tourism markets, the

Last year could be called Taiwan's year of tourism, with visitor arrivals reaching 5,567,277—an all-time high. In 2010, India sent 23,849 travelers to Taiwan, a 28.53% increase, while Singapore sent 241,334 visitors, up 24.06%. This year, the Tourism Bureau is also actively promoting Taiwan’s tourism by participating in exhibitions in both countries and setting up a "Taiwan Pavilion" to showcase Taiwan’s beauty to more people.

Taiwan’s participation in the India Travel Mart last year received enthusiastic inquiries from industry players. (Photo provided by the Taiwan Visitors Association)

With a population of nearly 1.2 billion and an average national age under 30, India has strong consumer spending power. Its annual outbound tourism market exceeds 10 million trips, with an average per-person spending of around $2,000 per trip, mostly on shopping. This year, the Taiwan Visitors Association, China Airlines, and major domestic travel agencies have formed a delegation to hold a Taiwan tourism promotion event in New Delhi on February 23 and participate in the "Outbound Travel Exhibition" from the 24th to the 26th. A Taiwan Pavilion will be set up to promote the “Travel Taiwan, Touch 100” incentives, including free half-day tours for transit passengers, seasonal gifts for FIT travelers, events for the Centennial of the Republic of China, touching travel routes, and international highlights—all aimed at helping Indian travel agents package Taiwan tour products.

Sun Moon Lake is a must-visit destination for travelers to Taiwan. (Photo provided by the Taiwan Visitors Association)

Singapore has a total population of about 4.48 million. In 2009, its outbound tourist trips reached 6.9 million—meaning the average person travels abroad more than once a year, reflecting strong travel demand. On February 22, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau led a delegation of 96 local entities, including travel agencies, hotels, theme parks, farms, hot spring resorts, wedding services, and airlines, to participate in the NATAS Travel Fair. The event featured performances by Taiwan’s Nostalgic Puppet Troupe, magician Chen Rifu, and dough figurine artist Yu Zhirun to enhance Taiwan’s image. A special Taiwan Tourism Discount Handbook was created for FIT travelers, featuring discounts from over 100 businesses, with the goal of selling 5,000 Taiwan package tours during the exhibition.