Taiwan is participating in an international travel exhibition in Bangkok to attract more visitors from Thailand, the Tourism Bureau said yesterday.
The bureau has teamed up with the Taiwan Visitors Association, hotel operators, farm resort operators and souvenir vendors to set up a Taiwan pavilion at the Thai International Travel Fair, which runs from today to Sunday at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center.
The fair is held twice a year: in February and August.
The bureau said Taiwan regards Thailand as one of the fastest-growing markets at a time when the government is pushing its New Southbound Policy.
The policy is aimed at boosting ties with Southeast Asian and South Asian nations in a bid to lessen Taiwan’s economic dependence on China.
To attract more travelers from Thailand, the government has granted visa-free privileges to Thais since Aug. 1 last year, which has boosted the number of Thai visitors to Taiwan.
Statistics compiled by the bureau showed that arrivals from Thailand from August to December last year rose 81 percent from a year earlier.
In December alone, the figure grew about 90 percent year-on-year.
For the whole of last year, the number of Thai visitors rose almost 60 percent from a year earlier, the data showed.
Participation in the fair is expected to further boost Taiwan’s visibility among Thais, it said.
The Taiwanese exhibitors will highlight the nation as a romantic destination for visitors, as well as travelers in search of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, and shopping, the bureau said.
Visitors to the Taiwan pavilion can expect discounts and travel information that can be used when they come to Taiwan, it added.
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