Looking to capitalize on a vibrant bird-watching culture that has taken off in Taiwan, Israel’s representative office is promoting bird-watching tours for Taiwanese travelers to the Middle Eastern country.
The Israel Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei said it is discussing with Taiwanese travel agencies and Israeli tourism officials the details of such a program.
Israel is well-known for its holy sites for Christian, Jewish and Muslim pilgrims, but few in Taiwan would think of the Middle Eastern country of just over 20,000km2 as a haven for spotting birds.
Israel is home to about 500 bird species and it attracts more than 500,000 bird-watchers a year, according to the office.
Migrant birds from Europe travel to the arid country for the winter and birds from Africa arrive to escape the even hotter temperatures, the office said.
Hula Valley in northern Israel and Eilat in the south are among the major destinations for bird-watching, the office said, suggesting that March to May and October to early December are the prime viewing seasons.
The office held exhibitions in Taipei and New Taipei City last year to promote bird-watching in Israel by showcasing dozens of photographs of eagles, marsh harriers, cranes, pelicans and other species, as well as the natural beauty of the Hula Valley.
The photographs are currently on display in Greater Tainan, the office said, adding that the exhibitions have sparked interest.
Taiwanese passport holders are entitled to up to 90 days visa-free stay in Israel since a visa-waiver agreement took effect in August 2011, the office said.
The policy has helped promote a steady increase in Taiwanese visitors, after 3,894 visited in 2010, 4,478 in 2011, 4,971 in 2012 and 5,259 last year, according to statistics provided by the office.
From January to March this year, 2,145 Taiwanese visited Israel, it added.
Most of the travelers went to Israel for tourism or religious reasons, but the office said it is also promoting eco-tourism and bird-watching programs to boost tourism and introduce different aspects of the country to Taiwanese.
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