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.
Considering that most countries issue more than five denominations of banknotes, the central bank has decided to redesign all five denominations, the bank said as it prepares for the first major overhaul of the banknotes in more than 24 years. Central bank Governor Yang Chin-lung (楊金龍) is expected to report to the Legislative Yuan today on the bank’s operations and the redesign’s progress. The bank in a report sent to the legislature ahead of today’s meeting said it had commissioned a survey on the public’s preferences. Survey results showed that NT$100 and NT$1,000 banknotes are the most commonly used, while NT$200 and NT$2,000
A NT$39 receipt for two bottles of tea at a FamilyMart was among the NT$10 million (US $312,969) special prize winners in the January-February uniform invoice lottery. FamilyMart said that two NT$10 million-winning receipts were issued at its stores, as well as two NT$2 million grand prizes and three NT$200,000 first prizes. The two NT$10 million receipts were issued at stores in Pingtung County and Yilan County’s Dongshan Township (冬山). One winner spent just NT$39 on two bottles of tea, while another spent NT$80 on water, tea and coffee, the company said. Meanwhile, 7-Eleven reported three NT$10 million winners — in New Taipei
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) yesterday reported the first case of a new COVID-19 subvariant — BA.3.2 — in a 10-year-old Singaporean girl who had a fever upon arrival in Taiwan and tested positive for the disease. The girl left Taiwan on March 20 and the case did not have a direct impact on the local community, it said. The WHO added the BA.3.2 strain to its list of Variants Under Monitoring in December last year, but this was the first imported case of the COVID-19 variant in Taiwan, CDC Deputy Director-General Lin Ming-cheng (林明誠) said. The girl arrived in Taiwan on
ANNUAL EVENT: Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in Daan Park, with an event zone operating from 10am to 6pm This year’s Taipei Floral Picnic is to be held at Daan Park today and tomorrow, featuring an exclusive Pokemon Go event, a themed food market, a coffee rave picnic area and stage performances, the Taipei Department of Information and Tourism said yesterday. Two massive Pokemon balloons are to be set up in the park as attractions, with an exclusive event zone operating from 10am to 6pm, it said. Participants who complete designated tasks on-site would have a chance to receive limited-edition souvenirs, it added. People could also try the newly launched game Pokemon Pokopia in the trial area, the department said. Three PokeStops are
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