More than 120,000 people from Taiwan traveled to the US between January and April, with those visiting for tourism rising by 12.3 percent from the same period last year, US official statistics showed.
A total of 124,293 Taiwanese traveled to the US in the first four months of the year, making Taiwan the 18th-largest source of the US’ visitors, Visit USA Committee Taiwan head Brenda Tang (唐靜儀) said at a quarterly meeting of the committee, citing data from the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO).
Notably, the number of Taiwanese visitors who arrive for tourism, business and education purposes showed significant growth, with visits for tourism alone increasing by 12.3 percent compared with the same period last year, Tang said.
Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times
Favorable exchange rates, the launch of Starlux Airlines’ new route to Ontario, California, and EVA Airways’ upcoming service to Dallas later this year should all contribute to further growth, she said.
The goal is to restore visitor numbers to at least 80 percent of pre-COVID-19 levels, she said.
NTTO data showed that 499,520 Taiwanese visited the US in 2019, compared with 398,813 last year.
However, Tourism Administration figures showed that outbound departures of Taiwanese to the US were already close to reaching pre-COVID-19 levels last year, with departures totaling 532,130.
Outbound departures to the US in 2017, 2018 and 2019 prior to COVID-19 were 574,512, 569,180 and 550,978 respectively, data showed.
Tang said the US would bolster promotional efforts in Taiwan, including participating in the Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) and the Tainan Travel Fair, both slated for November.
Meanwhile, Brand USA Taiwan representative Milane Tsai (蔡璧如) said US tourism marketing would adopt a multifaceted approach, including physical and virtual seminars, trade partner training, joint marketing with airlines and trade show marketing.
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
SIX SUBSIDIES: The monthly allowance for older farmers is to increase to NT$10,000, and NT$5,000 is to be given to homemakers under the national pension system, Lai said The government is to implement major welfare policies for disadvantaged groups, including raising the monthly allowance for older farmers to NT$10,000 and providing homemakers with NT$5,000 per month, President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks during a visit to Wangling Temple in Chiayi County, saying that the planned increases were being introduced amid economic growth and an increase in tax revenue. Touting a policy, in which the government plans to provide a monthly allowance of NT$5,000 for every child under the age of 18 in a bid to address Taiwan’s low birthrate, Lai said that if received for the
STAY COOL: The HPA recommended that people stay hydrated, use air-conditioning or fans while indoors, wear loose-fitting clothes and walk in the shade while outdoors Employers must implement measures such as installing cooling equipment, and providing drinking water and rest breaks for outdoor workers starting from Monday next week, the Taipei Department of Labor said on Sunday. Employers who fail to comply could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000 under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (職業安全衛生法), the department said. Businesses in Taipei employing fewer than 100 workers, as well as registered self-employed workers with labor insurance coverage, could receive on-site assessments and guidance from occupational safety consultants to help them apply for central government subsidies to implement or improve heat-protection measures, it said. Under the Ministry of
ISOLATION: The outposts would serve as support and backup bases, forcing US forces to either face China head-on or reroute, increasing travel time and operational costs China’s outposts in the South China Sea could be used to delay and constrain foreign forces during a conflict in the Taiwan Strait, giving Beijing a critical window to carry out amphibious landing and blockade operations, a report said. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forward operating bases on islands and reclaimed features in the South China Sea could delay foreign forces long enough for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to secure a key 48-to-72-hour window in the Taiwan Strait, a report commissioned by the Mainland Affairs Council found. The report, conducted by the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, examined
RSS