Foreword

Taiwan is an ocean-embraced land at the heart of the Asia Pacific region.Over the years, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau has been developing the tourism resources of Taiwan in keeping with the global trend of sustainable travel under a series of themed annual campaigns, from the “Year of Ecotourism in 2017” and “Year of Bay Tourism in 2018,” to Taiwan “Small Town Ramble Year in 2019.” Trough these initiatives, the bureau welcomes travelers from around the world to deeply understand and experience Taiwan: its unique character and the friendliness of its people.

The 2018 Year of Bay Tourism coincided with the holding of the World Congress of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World in Penghu. The Tourism Bureau arranged the “10+ Offshore Islands of Taiwan” series of activities on Guishan Island, Green Island, Orchid Island, Xiaoliuqiu, Qimei, Yuweng Island (Xiyu), Jibei, Lieyu (Little Kinmen), Dongju, and Beigan. The campaign aimed to strengthen branding and cooperation between the local governments and industries in these areas to develop island ecotourism and generate tourism benefits throughout Taiwan. In 2018, Taiwan received a record 11,066,707 inbound tourists, up 3.05% from the year before. The year was also one of accolades from around the world. Expat Insider ranked Taipei the third-friendliest city in the world. Mastercard ranked Taiwan the fifth best non-OIC destination for Muslim travel. Travel Weekly bestowed its Magellan Award to “Mountain and Forest Activities,” an international promotional video by the Tourism Bureau. “East of Taiwan,” a short film introducing travel in eastern Taiwan, took home the Best Asian Film award from the 2018 International Tourism Film Festival (ART&TUR) in Portugal, as well as the “Best East Asian Film” at the First Japan World’s Tourism Film Festival and the “Platinum Remi Award for Travel and Tourism” at the Houston International Film Festival. The award-winning videos have helped fuel Taiwan’s rise as a much-loved destination for Asian travelers.

The government designated 2019 as Taiwan Small Town Ramble Year to bring Taiwan’s local style to the global stage. The Tourism Bureau brought together the Council for Hakka Affairs, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Council of Agriculture, Chunghwa Telecom, Chunghwa Post, and Taiwan Railway Administration for a joint marketing campaign to promote 40 of Taiwan’s 368 townships. During the campaign, participating units issued a Taiwan Small Town Ramble Passport, Small Town Postcards, Small Town Good News Messages, and rolled out highquality slow travel tours to small towns suitable for both domestic and foreign travelers. The “100,000 Youth Award One Million” Creative Tour Competition was also arranged to tap the creativity of young people for the development of new types of small town travel.

For the 2020 Mountain Ridge Ecotourism Year, the Tourism Bureau will strongly promote Taiwan’s unique scenic mountain ecology and redefine mountain tourism. The campaign aims to open up new horizons for Taiwan’s tourism industry and introduce more international visitors to the ecological beauty of Taiwan.

Tis annual report presents the achievements of the tourism administration in 2018, both the quantifiable value created and some unquantifiable stories and scenery for your enjoyment. We welcome your comments and suggestions.