On June 29, 2022, Matsu National Scenic Area Headquarters, Tourism Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications in collaboration with Matsu tourism and travel industry operators, established "Matsu Tourism Circle Industry Alliance." In the post-pandemic era, this initiative aims to not only continue strengthening the domestic tourism market but also to significantly increase international exposure for Matsu tourism. This is achieved through cooperation with the Tourism Bureau’s overseas offices, organizing overseas promotional events, inviting international media and tourism professionals to visit, and arranging for a prominent Singaporean travel writer to reside in Matsu.
After market analysis, Matsu National Scenic Area Headquarters identified that Matsu's natural landscapes and slow-paced atmosphere are its most attractive features. Consequently, it has been actively targeting high-consumption metropolitan countries for marketing and promotion. After over a year of effort, in addition to the tour groups from Japan's Hankyu Travel Agency, Matsu rang in the first tour group from Singapore on May 5, 2024. To maintain and expand bilateral cooperation in the Singapore international tourism market, Matsu National Scenic Area Headquarters collaborated with 10 industry operators from Matsu Tourism Circle Industry Alliance, participated in the NATAS Holidays, Singapore's Autumn Travel Fair, organized by Taiwan Visitors Association (TVA) from August 16 to 18. The theme of their participation, "Matsu Island: Unique Experiences – War Culture × Geological Landscapes × Ecotourism," aimed to showcase Matsu’s food, accommodation, activities, and shopping, as well as to promote seasonal themed travel itineraries and the beauty of Matsu.
On August 19, 2024, a promotional event was held at Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore, organized by Taiwan Visitors Association. This event provided Matsu Tourism Circle operators with an opportunity to expand their international visibility. By introducing Matsu’s highlights, such as Blue Tears, natural landscapes, wartime relics, and Mindong culture to Singaporean industry professionals, the event garnered significant interest from local travel agencies for group tours. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in visitors during the peak season of Blue Tears next year. The promotional event also connected Matsu’s travel offerings with those of Taiwan’s main island, aiming to attract diverse tourist segments through an expanded tourism area model.
Matsu's future international tourism markets are projected to be Mainland China, Southeast Asia (Singapore, Malaysia), and Northeast Asia (Japan, South Korea). On the hardware side, Matsu National Scenic Area Headquarters and Lienchiang County Government will annually enhance the service quality of existing Matsu attractions, introduce smart tourism and universal facilities, and continuously promote highlight developments. On the soft skills side, Matsu Tourism Circle Industry Alliance will lead Matsu tourism operators in gradually improving service standards and adapting to evolving tourism market trends. By developing the Matsu scenic slow travel resort island chain, the goal is to attract both domestic and international travelers to Matsu for vacations and incentive travel, while further encouraging local youth to return home and drive the development of the tourism island.
