TAIWAN - tourism boom

TTGasia, Oct 20 - 26, 2006 / No.1499

FROM 158 organisations taking part at the first Taipei ITF in December 1987, the event has grown to 598 organisations this year, its 20th anniversary.

Honorary chairman of the Taiwan Visitors Association (TVA) and chairman of the Taipei ITF organising committee, Mr Stanley Yen, who was there from the start, said the event was successful from day one.

“When the Taiwan government removed the foreign exchange ban in June 1987, there were already 846,000 outbound travellers and tourism expenditure of US$2 billion, even though the economy was not as strong as it is now.

“TVA (a non-profit tourism organisation and the organiser of Taipei ITF) saw the opportunity to do something and decided to set up a platform where international exhibitors could promote their destinations and products to consumers, especially the
mass market.

“The first ITF created a lot of interest and curiosity about Taiwan. At that time, the mature outbound markets were Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. But because of Taiwan’s large population, it had a lot of potential.”

Proof of Taiwan’s potential was reflected in TVA’s decision to upgrade the biennial ITF into an annual affair, starting in 1999. Mr Yen said: “The demand was overwhelming and we realised we could maximise the potential by holding it every year, and ITF has continued to grow.”

The number of organisations taking part grew from 312 in 1997, to 313 in 1999 and 326 in 2000, while the number of booths increased from 481, to 520 to 548 respectively.

Taiwan’s outbound market has now grown to around seven billion travellers and expenditure of around US$10 billion. And from a mass market outbound-focused consumer fair, Mr Yen said ITF had evolved to incorporate domestic and inbound tourism.

“In the last few years, Taiwan has developed many new upmarket resorts and facilities targeted at youth travellers. And some are very unique. They are targeted at a growing number of sophisticated Taiwanese travellers, and are also suitable for the international market,” he added.

“As a result we have seen an increasing number of visitors from Singapore and Malaysia in Ilan, where there are hotsprings, interesting scenery and local culture.

“And the length of stay has definitely increased.”

Of the 598 organisations taking part this year, there are 106 national and regional tourism organisations, 56 tourism associations, 206 hotels and resorts, 61 travel agencies, 53 attractions, 26 transport companies and 90 other related companies, representing Taiwan and 59 other countries.

The 945 booths they occupy will take up all four exhibition halls of the Taipei World Trade Center.

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