During the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines have been getting very creative and have launched various kinds of simulated overseas trips to keep the money flowing. Business owners say that the pandemic has been with us for a year, but its impact on the aviation tourism industry is no less severe, so the tourism market is still expected to focus mainly on domestic travel this year.
The Matsu pilgrimage craze in March is Taiwan’s grand annual religious event, attracting tens of thousands of believers every year. One travel agency that is aiming at business opportunities for simulated overseas flights plans to cooperate with Tigerair Taiwan and create a new in-flight attraction by launching an “airborne version” of the Matsu pilgrimage.
Chung Hsing Travel Service chairman Lee Chi-yueh said that, having by chance become director-general of Taipei’s Shengxing Tianhou Temple, he came up with the fancy idea of collaborating with Tigerair Taiwan to launch Taiwan’s first aerial Matsu pil-grimage. He said the flight is due to launch in March as a warm-up for the grand event of Matsu pilgrimages around the island.
Photo: Yang Chin-cheng, Liberty Times 照片：自由時報記者楊金城
According to the plan, the flight will take about two hours. A Taoist priest will be invited to pray at the airport before departure. Three statues — Matsu, her attendants Qianliyan (lit. eyes that see a thousand leagues) and Shunfenger (lit. ears that hear the wind) will be carried on the plane. Departing from Taipei, the flight will follow a route around eastern Taiwan to the islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu before flying above Japan’s Miyako Island. Blessings and chanting ceremonies will be held in the air, linking with Taiwan’s unique religious events and praying for the pandemic to disappear.
(Translated by Lin Lee-kai, Taipei Times)
疫情期間各家航空公司大搞創意，推出各式類出國行程，創造金流；業者透露，疫情海嘯已屆滿週年，但對航空旅遊業的衝擊不減，預估今 年旅遊市場還是以國旅為主。
Photo courtesy of Tigerair Taiwan 照片：台灣虎航提供
三月瘋媽祖是台灣年度宗教盛事，每年都吸引成千上萬信徒跟隨，有旅遊業者瞄準類出國航班商機，規劃攜手台灣虎航推出「空中版」媽祖繞境，盼為類出國創造新噱頭。
創新旅行社董事長李奇嶽表示，自己因緣際會接下台北聖興天后宮總幹事一職，突發奇想找上台灣虎航希望推出全台首個空中媽祖繞境航班。他表示，空中媽祖繞境航班規劃今年三月啟航，為國內媽祖繞境活動提前暖身。
據規劃，該航班航程約兩小時，出發前會請道長在機場進行祈福儀式，並請媽祖、千里眼及順風耳三尊神像上機，從台北出發繞東台灣再飛往澎湖、金門、馬祖，接著飛往日本宮古島上方，空中將舉辦祈福、誦經儀式，結合台灣獨有的宗教盛事，祈求疫情退散。
（自由時報記者蕭玗欣）
A: Hard rock band Guns N’ Roses is touring Taiwan tomorrow. What about pop diva Lady Gaga? B: Unfortunately, Singapore has once again exclusively secured Gaga’s concerts in Asia, just like Taylor Swift’s exclusive Asian shows last year. A: The Singaporean government reportedly paid up to US$2.2 million to secure Swift’s shows. B: And the shows did boost its economy and tourism. A: But I’m angry about this approach, so I’m not going to Gaga’s shows this time. A: 硬式搖滾天團槍與玫瑰明天即將來台，流行天后女神卡卡呢？ B: 真可惜，新加坡再度取得卡卡亞洲巡演的獨家主辦權，就像去年泰勒絲的亞洲獨家演出一樣。 A: 據報導新加坡政府付出高達220萬美元，取得泰勒絲的亞洲獨家主辦權。 B: 而她的秀也的確提振了該國的經濟和旅遊業。 A: 但我對此還是很不爽，所以不去新加坡看卡卡了！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
A: Hard rock band Guns N’ Roses and pop diva Lady Gaga are finally touring Asia again. B: Are they also coming to Taiwan? A: The band will stage a show at the Taoyuan Sunlight Arena on Saturday. B: Wow, so this will be the band’s third visit. I really love its 1992 power ballad “November Rain.” The nine-minute hit was the Billboard chart’s longest song at one point. A: Let’s go celebrate the 40th anniversary of its release. A: 硬式搖滾天團槍與玫瑰、女神卡卡終於再度展開亞洲巡演了。 B: 他們也會來台巡演嗎？ A: 槍與玫瑰本週六即將在桃園陽光劇場開唱唷。 B: 哇這將是該團第三次來台演出，我超愛他們1992年強力情歌《November Rain》，全長近9分鐘還曾是告示牌排行榜最長神曲。 A: 那我們一起去慶祝該團出道40週年吧！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
If you could nominate any toys for the Toy Hall of Fame, what would they be? Iconic playthings like yo-yos, toy cars, or video games seem like obvious __1__. Classic toys such as jacks, playing cards, and board games like Chess, Monopoly, and Uno have brought endless joy to generations. Overall, there are countless toys that __2__ in the Toy Hall of Fame. The National Toy Hall of Fame was __3__ in 1998 at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The Toy Hall of Fame aims to __4__ items that have been cherished for generations, and several
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang However, not every toy has its moment. Some fans were __8__ that simple classics like balloons—a universal symbol of celebrations—haven’t made the cut yet. With their lightweight charms and transformative puffs of air, balloons have __9__ millions for decades and will have to wait at least another year for a chance to be inducted. As the Toy Hall of Fame continues to celebrate toys that __10__ creativity and joy, we can only wonder which treasures will earn a spot next. Will the widely adored balloon finally take its place in 2025? Only time will tell, but one thing is
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