Despite a record number of foreign visitors last year — 10.74 million — inbound tourism revenue fell almost 8 percent from 2016 to US$12.3 billion, the Tourism Bureau said on Wednesday.
The 7.92 percent annual drop in revenue was due mainly to a decline in the consumption power of tourists from China and Japan, the major sources of overseas visitors, the bureau said, citing a survey.
Arrivals from China and Japan last year were 2.7 million and 1.9 million respectively, but the average daily spending by Chinese tourists dropped by US$14.05 per person, while that of Japanese fell by US$27.37, it said.
Spending by Chinese declined because of their nation’s tourism and sumptuary laws, which were implemented to restrict shopping tours, and limit expenditure on food and personal items, it said.
Fewer Japanese travelers choose luxury hotels, while the cost of group tours from Japan also dropped, the bureau said.
However, the buying power of South Korean visitors increased, as did those from nations targeted under the government’s New Southbound Policy.
Japanese were the biggest daily spenders, averaging US$214.05, followed by South Korea (US$194.58), China (US$184.38), Hong Kong/Macau (US$183.92) and the US (US$155.67), the bureau said.
Kenting National Park, Sun Moon Lake and Taroko Gorge were the most popular destinations.
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