Taiwan and South Korea yesterday held an event in Vancouver promoting tourism to Canadians, devising a sample itinerary for visitors to not only experience the cuisine and culture of both countries, but also undergo health checkups and aesthetic medical treatments.
The Tourism Administration partnered with the Korea Tourism Organization to host the event, inviting more than 100 tourism operators and experts to promote the region.
As fuel prices rise, travel is becoming more expensive, making it more important to promote exciting, yet affordable travel experiences, the agency said.
Photo: CNA
Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in San Francisco Tourism Division Director Sylvia S.H. Lee (李思賢) said she is looking forward to the partnership, adding that Taiwan is easy to access from North America and an incredibly safe destination.
With the changing geopolitical landscape, safety is becoming a primary concern when choosing a travel destination, she said.
Taiwan was recognized this year by the world’s largest cost-of-living database Numbeo, whose safety index ranked Taiwan in fourth place, she added.
Taiwan is also convenient, with a high-speed rail system, Taiwan Railway Corp trains and MRT systems giving tourists multiple transportation options connecting the entire country, she said.
Visitors can also take advantage of three-day unlimited ride passes with the high-speed rail and the Taiwan Pass Railways Edition, which offers unlimited rides on Taiwan Railways for five days, with a choice of one pass for four city metros and four Taiwan Tourist Shuttle lines, she said.
Korea Tourism Organization Toronto office Director Youna Oh said she hopes the initiative would boost the number of Canadian tourists choosing South Korea.
The number of visitors to South Korea in March surpassed levels from before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2019, while Taiwanese visitors to South Korea grew 95 percent year-on-year, the highest growth rate of any country worldwide, she said.
Last year, about 282,000 Canadians visited South Korea, showing annual growth of 11 percent, she added.
In the first quarter of this year, 10,000 more Canadians traveled to South Korea than the same time last year, showing annual growth of 19 percent, as a March concert by the boyband BTS in Seoul brought many international fans to the city.
When visitors come to South Korea, they have to experience K-pop and Korean cuisine, from kimchi to fried chicken, Korean barbecue and fresh seafood, Oh said.
Not forgetting Taiwan, she added that she also loves bubble tea.
Combining Taiwan and South Korea into one trip is particularly appealing to Canadian travelers, said Margaret Liu (劉治坤), owner of Vancouver-based Formosa Travel Ltd.
The two are home to beautiful mountain and ocean scenery, perfectly suited to nature-loving Canadian tourists, she said.
They are also world leaders in medical services and aesthetic medicine, she said, adding that people can visit Taiwan for comprehensive medical checkups and then South Korea for aesthetic procedures, to be beautiful “both inside and out.”
Mark Greenwood, director of operations at Travel Masters, a top Canadian travel and host agency, led a group to Taiwan in mid-March.
He said they enjoyed the Lantern Festival and visited Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Taiwan International Orchid Show and the historic city of Tainan.
They also attended an experience in the forests of Yunlin County’s Caoling (草嶺) to roast their own tea and coffee.
Taiwan is a hidden gem, he said, adding that the orchid festival and experience in Caoling left a lasting impression on him.
He said he hopes to package travel experiences to Taiwan to let more Canadian tourists know about the country.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
Carrefour Taiwan is to begin using a new name from the start of July, but it cannot divulge the name until then, the chairman of the supermarket chain's parent company said today. President Chain Store Co chairman Lo Chih-hsien (羅智先) was asked by reporters after a shareholders' meeting to confirm whether the company has settled on a new name for the supermarket brand. In March, the government-registered name of two Carrefour Taiwan branches was quietly changed to "Le Chia Kang" (樂家康) in Chinese, raising speculation that has been selected as the name. Lo said that because of local regulations and contractual obligations, the
The Philippines would likely be involved in any conflict over Taiwan due to its proximity to the democracy claimed by China, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said, reiterating a stance that risks angering Beijing. “In the Philippines, we do not have a choice because Taiwan is so close to the Philippines and we have almost 200,000 Filipino nationals living and working in Taiwan,” Marcos said in an interview with Japanese media in Manila on Monday. The Philippine leader’s comments come ahead of a state visit to Japan next week, where he is to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to discuss security
RSS