Global Focus, Multipronged Advances
In 2020, before the pandemic, the Tourism Bureau continued to cultivate Taiwan's existing major visitor source markets, including Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, mainland China, Europe, and the US, through a "Global Focus, Multipronged Advance" approach. It also actively sought to attract visitors from ASEAN, India, the Middle East, and other emerging mar-kets. After the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bureau shifted to a strategy of "maintaining momentum and developing soundly" to maintain the global visibility of Taiwan tourism worldwide and to position Taiwan as a first-choice destination for international visitors after the pandemic.
Involvement in international travel fairs and promotion of the 2020 Year of Mountain Range Tourism and unique tourism activities in Taiwan:
The Tourism Bureau participated in the 26th Thai International Travel Fair from January 16-19, 2020. Booths were designed with lantern festival and flower themes reflecting the Lunar New Year holiday period of the fair. Twenty lanterns, hand-painted by children, were borrowed from the collection of Puji Temple in Tainan to create the New Year's themed exhibition booths and promote festivals in Taiwan. The exhibition also featured an OhBear hiking game to create more opportunities for interaction with the public.
On January 7, Taiwan won India's Versatile Excellent Travel Awards (VETA) for Best Emerging Tourism Destination Award in the Indian Market. From January 31 to February 1, the Tourism Bureau participated in the India Business and Luxury Travel Mart (BLTM); and from February 3-5, it participated in India's biggest Outbound Travel Mart (OTM), Mumbai. At the BLTM, Tai-wan won the Award for Most Promising Emerging Business and Luxury Tourism Destination; and at OTM, Mumbai, it earned the Most Promising Incentive Travel Destination Award. This was the first year that Taiwan had earned three top tourism awards in India.
From February 7-9, the Tourism Bureau participated in the Travel Tour Expo (TTE) 2020 in the Philippines. Celebrity Gabbi Garcia, with more than seven million followers, jointly promoted Taiwan at the event as Taiwan's tourism spokesperson in the Philippines. From February 21-23, the Tourism Bureau participated in the 2020 Astindo Travel Fair in Jakarta, Indonesia. It also col-laborated with the Chinese Muslim Association to strengthen promotion of Taiwan's Muslim-friendly hospitality and tourism environment to Muslim travelers.
Taiwan and mainland China jointly hold the 10th Jiangsu-Taiwan Lantern Festi-val
The Tourism Bureau and the Jiangsu Tourism Association held a joint lantern lighting ceremony at Dinosaur Resort Changzhou on January 18 for the Lunar New Year holiday. The main theme lantern in the Taiwan Lantern Area was "Sir Good Mouse," symbolizing a prosperous new dawn.
Taiwan won the Most Promising Incentive Travel Destination Award at OTM, Mumbai, India.
