The rapid expansion of international routes at Taichung International Airport is boosting outbound tourism, with Colar Tour reporting a sharp rise in group-tour bookings and expecting the number of group-tour travelers to double this year.
The airport’s overseas network has expanded to include more than 30 scheduled and charter routes serving Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, China, South Korea and Vietnam. More airlines are expected to launch services from Taichung in the coming months, further bolstering its role as an international gateway for travelers outside northern Taiwan.
The airport handled 1,135,527 international and cross-strait passengers in the first half of this year, Civil Aviation Administration data showed.
Photo copied by Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
The average passenger load factor reached 83.5 percent, reflecting strong demand amid the continued recovery and expansion of international services.
The data showed that all 17 international routes operating from Taichung recorded load factors above 75 percent in June.
Flights to Nagoya, Tokyo, Kobe, Okinawa, Jeju and Kumamoto were especially popular, with each reporting load factors of more than 90 percent.
The growth in flight capacity has also fueled demand for package tours.
Cola Tour said the number of travelers on group tours departing from Taichung increased nearly 80 percent in the first seven months of this year from the same period last year, driven by expanded airline services from the airport.
Japan remained the most popular destination, followed by South Korea and Southeast Asia, the company said.
Cola Tour said it expects the momentum to continue in the second half of this year, with direct services from Taichung to Sapporo and Kitakyushu scheduled to begin operating.
The new services are expected to provide more travel options and further boost demand for group tours.
Based on booking trends and planned route expansions, the number of group-tour travelers departing from Taichung this year could double from last year’s total, Cola Tour said.
The expansion of international connectivity has also benefited southern Taiwan.
Kaohsiung has seen stronger outbound travel demand as more overseas routes are added, with group-tour departures from the city expected to grow by about 20 percent this year from last year, Cola Tour said.
The trend highlights the growing role of regional airports in Taiwan’s aviation network, as expanded international services help distribute travel demand beyond Taipei and offer passengers more convenient access to overseas destinations.
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