For the first time, the Philippines is on track to become the top Southeast Asian source of tourists to Taiwan in 2024, with 415,635 visitors recorded from January to November, according to the Tourism Administration.
Data showed the figure exceeded the 384,000 Malaysians and 376,000 Singaporeans in the same period.
Thailand was fourth with 356,000 visitors, and Vietnam was fifth with 344,000.
Photo: CNA
While data for the whole year is not yet available, the government agency said that December is peak travel season for Filipino travelers, indicating that the country is likely to top the list of visitors from Southeast Asian visitors to Taiwan last year.
Regarding global visitors, the country ranked at number five, trailing behind Japan, Hong Kong and Macau, South Korea and the United States, according to a Thursday news release.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Administration said that Taiwan will participate in the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) TravelTour Expo 2025 slated to begin today in Pasay City.
A "Taiwan Pavilion" featuring Filipino star Gabbi Garcia and model Khalil Ramos highlighting the charm of Taiwan will be set up in a bid to attract visitors, it said, adding it will also team up with a total of 21 organizations including travel industry associations, travel agencies, hotels and theme parks at the expo.
On Feb. 10-11, it will also hold promotional events at Manila and Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone to promote Taiwan travel to Filipino travel agencies, airlines and media, it said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
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