Industry Guidance and Upgrading
Travel Agencies
Travel Industry Profile
Promotion of Thematic and Senior-friendly Travel Marketing and Certification
A "Golden Years Travel" senior-friendly tour certification mechanism was established, with document and expert reviews awarding certified itineraries. Five training and briefing sessions drew 374 industry participants.
Promotion and Marketing of Certified "Golden Years" Itineraries: The Tourism Administration arranged a media familiarization tour from September 25 to 26, 2024, to enhance exposure for the certified "Golden Years" itineraries. The administration also participated in the Healthy Ageing Tech Show from August 2 to 4 and the Healthy Ageing Expo from November 22 to 24 to increase the national visibility of the "Golden Years" offerings.
Inaugural Taiwan Tourism Gold Awards: Building Industry Solidarity and Pride
In line with the establishment of the Tourism Administration, annual recognition of outstanding achievements in the tourism industry and by industry professionals was elevated to the Taiwan Tourism Gold Awards. The new award symbolizes the industry's commitment to branding and quality enhancement, representing the highest honor pursued by professionals in the field. In 2024, a total of 50 tourism enterprises and their personnel were awarded. The recognition ceremony was held during the 2024 Tourism Festival Awards Ceremony.
Building Talent, Reviewing Regulations
To enhance the tourism workforce, the Tourism Administration continued to invest resources in training personnel, including professional competency training for tour guides, group leaders, and travel agency managers, as well as development courses for various industry professionals. In addition to in-person courses, industry employees can access new industry knowledge anytime and anywhere through the Tourism Career eLearning College digital learning platform.
To reflect post-pandemic realities, prevent gaps between current regulations and practical developments and protect consumers, amendments to the Regulations Governing Tour Guides and the Regulations Governing Tour Managers were promulgated on October 16, 2024. Amendments to the Regulations Governing the Administration of Travel Agencies followed on December 27, 2024, taking effect January 1, 2025.
Protecting Consumer Rights
In 2024, a total of 1,783 consumer dispute cases and tourism complaints mediated by the Travel Quality Assurance Association of the Republic of China were accepted, with 1,210 cases settled, or 67.86% of the total.
Hotel Industry
Hotel Industry Guidance and Oversight
Ongoing audits of the hospitality industry continue to ensure that local governments implement effective hospitality management measures and help them to improve management outcomes. In 2024, local governments inspected a total of 5,972 hotels (including 4,289 licensed hotels, 302 unlicensed hotels, and 1,381 short-term rental suites). During the same year, local governments inspected 11,797 B&Bs, including 11,116 licensed and 681 unlicensed operators.
The administration continued efforts to strengthen the branding image of the hospitality sector, guiding the industry toward higher quality improvements to enhance competitiveness. By the end of 2024, a total of 1,914 B&Bs were certified as Taiwan Host properties.
Assisting Quality Improvement in the Hotel Industry
On August 14, 2024, the Guidelines for Preferential Loans to Encourage the Upgrading of the Tourism Industry were revised and published, extending the application deadline for interest subsidies to December 31, 2026. This initiative assists tourism industry operators in carrying out repairs or upgrades to facilities and services. The administration approved 282 applications for preferential loans amounting to NT$13.58 billion, and 133 interest subsidies, with a total of NT$370 million disbursed.
On September 24, 2024, the Guidelines of the Tourism Administration, MOTC for Subsidizing the Enhancement of Accommodation Quality were revised and published, introducing a new subsidy item for obtaining certifications, certificates, or labels related to sustainability, energy-saving, carbon reduction, or green environmental practices. The administration continues to assist operators in establishing visitor-friendly facilities, creating smart environments, and promoting sustainable development in the industry. In total, 164 cases were subsidized in 2024.
To align with international hotel evaluation systems, the Tourism Administration actively solicited opinions from various sectors and regularly reviewed the evaluation system. In 2024, the Directions for Subsidies to the Hotel Industry to Stabilize Capacity for Serving International Visitors" were revised and published. Seven briefing sessions were held to encourage hotel operators to participate in the star-rated hotel evaluations, attracting a total of 394 participants. Various marketing channels were used to reinforce the message "If it has stars, it's a good hotel," elevating brand image and recognition of star-rated hotels, promoting domestic and international travelers' awareness of Taiwan's star-rated accommodations and driving quality improvements in the hospitality sector to maximize the benefits of the star-rated hotel brand.
The Gold Quality "Taiwan Host" selection recognized 103 B&Bs across five themes—Nature & Ecology, Architectural Character, Cultural Exploration, Family and Pets, and Culinary Feasts. A total of 103 Taiwan Host Golden Quality Award winners were selected. This event fostered healthy competition among operators, optimized the services of Taiwan Host businesses, and highlighted unique themes to better meet the lodging needs of the public.
Tourist Amusement Enterprises
In 2024, the 26 registered and operating tourist amusement enterprises in Taiwan welcomed approximately 18.77 million visitors and generated revenue of NT$15.4 billion. The Tourism Administration continued to help these operators to create high-quality amusement environments. In addition to implementing management measures to ensure a safe travel environment and protect tourists' rights, the administration continued to provide subsidies through the Quality Enhancement Subsidies for Amusement Operators. These subsidies support investments in new facilities, innovative services, and upgrades to digital hardware, while also assisting operators in developing potential visitor sources in New Southbound markets.
Implementing a Three-tier Management System
Based on the Regulations for the Management of Tourist Amusement Enterprises and the Guidelines for Business Operations, Safety Maintenance Inspections, and Supervisory Evaluation Competitions for Tourist Amusement Enterprises, a system of operator self-inspections quarterly, along with semi-annual inspections by local authorities. From July to September 2024, the Tourism Administration organized a supervisory assessment competition for tourist amusement enterprises to enhance safety measures and emergency response mechanisms for amusement facilities.
Expanding Visitor Source Markets
To assist operators in developing potential visitor source markets, a joint marketing campaign for the tourist amusement sector continued to target the New Southbound tourism market. Two rounds of promotional activities were conducted from November 16 to 17 and from November 30 to December 1, 2024, inviting young influencers from the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam who possess social media marketing capabilities. Through social media platforms and word-of-mouth marketing, these participants promoted the unique highlights of Taiwan's amusement parks, aiming to attract both foreign groups and independent travelers to visit Taiwan.
