In 2021, with COVID still raging, the Tourism Bureau and its overseas offices strengthened online promotion and arranged in-person promotions in line with pandemic prevention measures in target markets to keep Taiwan's tourism brand in the international spotlight. Tourism operators were invited to jointly develop new itineraries to better serve global visitors after borders re-open. In 2021, Taiwan's unique cultural charms continued to shine on the global stage, bringing home 16 international awards and praise for Taiwan.
Strengthening Online Promotions to Heighten Global Exposure
We Are Ready
In early 2021, COVID continued to rage through the world. In Taiwan, however, the epidemic was relatively mild. In February 2021, the Tourism Bureau released a promotional video entitled "We Are Ready" in both Chinese and English. This film focused on the themes of peace of mind and safety, and carried the message that Taiwan is ready for international visitors and welcomes them.
Maintaining Momentum for Official International Exchanges and Cooperation
With COVID-related border controls still in effect, the Tourism Bureau continued to arrange bilateral video conference exchanges with other countries, including exchanges with Japanese and Vietnamese officials to promote post-pandemic market recovery and industry cooperation.
・Japan: Following on video conferences with the governors of Mie, Kagawa, Gifu, Yamaguchi and four other Japanese prefectures in 2020, the Tourism Bureau video conferenced with the governors of Shizuoka and Aomori on February 4 and 8, 2021, respectively, to discuss the future direction of bilateral cooperation and exchange views.
Vietnam: The Tourism Bureau continued to hold exchanges with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism on COVID prevention policies and consultations on cooperation meetings. The 9th Taiwan-Vietnam Tourism Cooperation Conference, originally scheduled to be held in 2020, was further delayed to be an in-person event in 2022 as a symbol of the new atmosphere of the two markets after COVID.
Steadily Developing Global Markets
The Tourism Bureau continued to cultivate existing visitor source markets, strengthen online marketing, and coordinate with COVID prevention rules in target markets to gradually resume in-person promotions. Due to COVID restrictions, the bureau continued to promote Taiwan's tourism image in Russia, the Middle East, Israel, India, and other emerging markets through online channels.
Northeast Asia Market
Japan
Following on the launch of the online "Travel Taiwan from Home: Taiwan Passes the Test" event in 2020, the Tourism Bureau arranged online scratch-off lotteries, card flip memory games, and lucky sky lantern releases combining knowledge of Taiwan's tourist attractions, food, festival culture, and language, as well as a "Taiwan Memories" Instagram photo submission activity. The promotions enabled interaction with target groups to promote Taiwan tourism despite COVID restrictions. The bureau also organized several online briefings to increase opportunities for interaction between Taiwanese and Japanese businesses and provide up-to-date information on Taiwan tourism.
In addition, the Tourism Bureau formed industry alliances to broaden promotions, including the "Travel Taiwan Virtually" campaign in partnership with Narita Airport and Japan Airlines; a "Taste of Taiwan in Japan" promotion with 22 Din Tai Fung restaurants in Japan; and a "Buy a Bike, Get a Free Co-branded Headscarf" promotion through 10 directly-operated Giant bicycle shops in Japan. The bureau also partnered with Japanese convenience store chain Natural Lawson to host Taiwan Fairs promoting Taiwanese cuisine and Taiwanese and Japanese brand products at 137 stores in metro areas (Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama, and Kanagawa). Hanshin Electric Railway and Taoyuan Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) cooperated to create Taiwan tourism topics through a series of activities such as trains painted with scenic sites in Taiwan, the collection of Taiwan travel photos, a "Taiwan and Japan Together" activity, and "Welcome to Taiwan" theme month promotional activities. The bureau also held the "Together Learn, Enjoy Together" mini lecture on tourism and culture to promote Taiwan's refined lifestyle and attractive tourism resources.
During the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, which opened on July 23, NHK anchors turned "This is Taiwan" into a Japanese buzzword. The Tourism Bureau's Japan office cooperated with Lin's Pork Ribs to launch the "Olympic Cheer Meal" at the Taiwanese chain's Japanese branches to promote traditional Taiwanese fried pork fillets, sausages, braised pork rice, Hey Song Sarsaparilla and apple cider, and other delicacies. The "Taiwan-Japan Friendship: Let's Go Together" POP promotion was featured at the Taiwan Tea Corner area of 140 metro-area Natural Lawson convenience stores. In addition, Taiwan fruit products, fine foods, and cultural-creative products were featured at the "Colorful Travel Taiwan Pavilion" pop-up store in Tokyo. The pavilion built buzz for Taiwan with an AR scenic photo area that invited visitors on a virtual trip to Taiwan.
South Korea
Building on promotions in 2019 and 2020, the Tourism Bureau continued to arrange online lectures and ads and strengthen social media promotions in the South Korean market. The bureau recruited Korean college students in Taiwan to form a tourism press corps to observe the new normal life in Taiwan from a first-person perspective. The group produced monthly reports with information on Taiwan tourism tailored to the Korean market to generate interest in visiting Taiwan. The Tourism Bureau invited Korean influencer Bora Kim to visit Taiwan and co-produce a promotional video for Taiwan on her YouTube channel "wannabe_bora." In a video that quickly attracted more than 250,000 views, Kim urged South Korean tourists to make Taiwan their first-choice travel destination after borders re-open. In conjunction with the 2021 Year of Bicycle Tourism theme, the Tourism Bureau arranged promotional activities at the Hangang Park Marina. Popular bicycle YouTubers were invited to share their cycling experience in Taiwan. Visitors were treated to a VR experience presenting the itineraries and charm of bicycle tourism in Taiwan.
The Tourism Bureau collaborated with Korea's KBS 2 TV station to introduce Taiwan's scenic charms and cuisine on the TV program "Stars' Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant." A Taiwanese braised pork rice dish with Korean touches won the PK competition and was sold through the Korean convenience store chain CU. The proceeds from sales were donated to local groups for the disadvantaged. In addition, meal kit distributor Fresh Easy sold Taiwan flavor condiment packs to provide a taste of Taiwan cuisine to Koreans temporarily unable to visit Taiwan.
Taiwanese and South Korean companies were invited to join online B2B online seminars and meetings to discuss ways to accelerate the recovery of Korean travel to Taiwan after borders re-open.
Europe and the Americas
With COVID controls hammering the tourism industries in Europe and the US, the Tourism Bureau continued to promote Taiwan's tourism brand in the two markets through online channels in 2021. The bureau collaborated with online influencers and leading media channels to market Taiwan's cuisine and scenic charms, unique culture, and human touch through theme promotions tailored to visitors of different age groups to boost interest in visiting Taiwan after border controls are lifted.
The Tourism Bureau also continued to hold online workshops, education, and training for local tourism businesses to maintain Taiwan tourism sales channels. It provided overseas firms with information on the lifting of border controls and entry requirements in Taiwan, promoted post-COVID package tours to Taiwan, and planned preferential measures to attract international visitors to Taiwan after COVID.
Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asia, the Tourism Bureau adopted a "parallel virtual and in-person" marketing strategy in line with COVID prevention measures and developments in the region. The bureau strengthened online marketing to maintain the popularity of Taiwan's tourism, including a collaboration with Singapore's "Million Dollar Influencer" Alyne Tamir to produce the "An Influencer is Born" micro-influencer recruitment campaign. The winners were invited to visit Taiwan after border controls are lifted to film videos and share them with Singaporeans. In response to the growing popularity of cycling in Malaysia, the Tourism Bureau invited Malaysian artists who have developed in Taiwan, as well as Malaysian and Taiwanese cycling tour and photography gurus to live stream their experiences cycling around Taiwan and its outlying islands, female-friendly tours, visits to Hakka towns, and bike touring in Taipei and New Taipei to attract Malaysian cyclists to Taiwan after COVID. The bureau also cooperated with former JKT48 teen idol group singer Cindy Gulla to promote bicycle and Michelin restaurant tours in Taiwan. Instagram videos and posts for the campaign reached more than 650,000 people.
The Tourism Bureau gradually resumed in-person events, including cross-industry cooperation with five Din Tai Fung branches in Malaysia on a limited release Taiwan pineapple cake during the Mid-Autumn Festival period. In line with the Mid-autumn Festival lantern custom among Malaysian Chinese, hand lanterns were given away with the purchase of pineapple cakes to publicize Taiwan's Lantern Festival. The bureau also partnered with Vietnam's biggest workout chain, California Gym, to show "2021 Year of Bicycle Tourism" promotional videos at 35 of the chain's branches in eight major cities. Popular Vietnamese travel bloggers and gym members were invited to join a 360 VR movie experience activity. Taiwan also resumed participation in the Thai International Travel Fair and Malaysia's MATTA Fair, using in-person events to maintain market buzz for Taiwan tourism.
For Muslim visitors, the Tourism Bureau continued to optimize and enhance Taiwan's Muslim-friendly travel environment. A total of 267 restaurants, hotels, and recreational farms were Halal-certified this year. The Yeliu Visitor Center, the Guandu Nature Park, as well as various travel agencies and guides, successively obtained certification as Muslim friendly sites (personnel). The bureau arranged 11 Muslim tourism promotions, including six industry briefings, one industry matchmaking conference, a two-session FAM tour for amateur Muslim influencers in Taiwan, a one-session FAM tour for travel agencies, and an online contest asking Muslim visitors to share their memories of travel in Taiwan.
Greater China
Mainland China
With mainland China still under tight COVID controls, the Tourism Bureau focused its marketing strategy there on improving and updating content on its simplified Chinese website and social media page. The bureau continued to cooperate with mainland media channels to publish posts on bicycle, food, hot spring, and railway travel and maintain online buzz for Taiwan tourism.
In addition to participating in major international exchanges and exhibitions, the Tourism Bureau maintained exchanges with provincial and municipal officials and organizations, including the Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade in Fuzhou, the Nanjing International Holiday Leisure and Recreational Vehicle Expo in Nanjing, and the Cross-Strait Travel Fair in Xiamen. It also participated with Taiwanese companies in the 2021 China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) in Beijing, marking its first appearance at the show. In addition, the bureau organized events to showcase Taiwan's cuisine and high-quality products, including the 2021 Taiwan Product Festival with the Chengdu Representative Office of the Taiwan Trade Center and Japanese supermarket chain Ito-Yokado in Chengdu; as well as Taiwan Food Week with the Xiamen branches of Taiwan's Shin Yeh Restaurant and Din Tai Fung. These promotions aimed to generate interest in visiting Taiwan after COVID. Other activities held by the bureau include the Taiwan Ocean Photography Exhibition at Warehouse 74 in Xiamen, featuring photos of Taiwan's unique geological landscapes, marine ecology, Penghu fireworks, Matsu's blue tears, and other attractions. The bureau also organized a small tourism promotion where participants could "wander" Taiwan during COVID.
The Tourism Bureau has held the Taiwan-Jiangsu Lantern Festival annually since 2010. However, it decided to pause the festival for a year due to COVID and strict cross-Strait quarantine regulations.
Hong Kong and Macao
In Hong Kong, which was less affected by COVID, the Tourism Bureau intensively promoted the Taiwan Lantern Festival, Taiwan bicycle tours, and coffee culture excursions through online channels in cooperation with Hong Kong travel agencies, OTAs, and influencers. It organized several online exchange activities with Hong Kong education groups and Taiwanese schools. It also arranged in-person activities through cross-industry cooperation. For example, the bureau promoted bicycle tourism in Taiwan through 39 branches of Giant's Hong Kong agent Chung Yung Cycle Co. It also co-organized Taichung Food Week with the Zhongzhang Regional Tourism Alliance at the Ma'anshan Citistore. In collaboration with Hong Kong artist Maggie Fu's Taiwanese restaurant Shang Ching Co, it arranged the Taiwan Nostalgic Tangerine Shop Exhibition along with a Facebook interactive prize giveaway, providing a taste of Taiwan for people unable to visit Taiwan. Other promotions included the "Taiwan Way" fair held at The Mills in Tsuen Wan in cooperation with Hong Kong travel agency Klook, and Christmas Terminal at Harbour City Mall. The Tourism Bureau also collaborated with Olympus and TripTaiwan to hold "Underwater Taiwan: Hong Kong's First Underwater Exhibition." The innovative event was warmly received by Hong Kong residents. Reuters covered the event and reports were reprinted on online news sites in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, the US, Canada, Turkey, and other countries. At the end of the year, the Tourism Bureau teamed up with Von Travel Co and airlines to launch the "Oh Bear Team Leader Mobile Office" publicity vehicle to promote post-COVID Taiwan tourism at popular sites in Hong Kong. It also held a "Virtual Kenting Open Air Music Festival" to introduce Hong Kong residents to sunny southern Taiwan. In addition, 14 Taiwan tourism information kiosks were set up in cooperation with Hong Kong companies to provide literature and information on Taiwan tourism to the Hong Kong public.
The Tourism Bureau focused on online promotions in Macao, which remained under strict border controls. From July 9 to 11, the bureau participated in the 2021 Macao International Tourism (Industry) Expo to maintain Macao tourist interest in visiting Taiwan.
Time for Taiwan Virtual Exhibition
The "Time for Taiwan" online Taiwan pavilion brought together nearly 200 units, including central and local governments, tourism circles, associations, and tourism and travel companies in a display with a B2B emphasis along with B2C functions. Opening September 1, 2021, the pavilion provided an online alternative at a time of COVID restrictions, including an online conference room to generate momentum while in-person participation in travel exhibitions and tourism promotions is on hold. The pavilion helped Taiwan's travel, hotel, and related industries to connect and hold talks with foreign tour agencies. The pavilion also provided a channel for the overseas offices of the Tourism Bureau to arrange video conferences, online education and training courses, and facilitated cooperation with the domestic tourism industry to promote Taiwan tourism resources to foreign tour groups. Foreign companies could also experience Taiwan attractions and activities through live video broadcasts. In 2021, the pavilion featured 110 product promotions, 30 online briefing sessions, and one large-scale online trade fair.
In addition, the pavilion has 12 themed tourism market areas. Tourism information for each market in the categories of food, accommodations, tourism, shopping, and travel is available in various languages and tailored to the preferences of different visitor groups for each market.
