Chennai hosted it’s annual Trade & Tourism Fair last weekend and one of its key participants was Taiwan Tourism Board. With over 75 international destinations participating in the event, directly or through its channel partners , the trade show had a visitor count of over 35000 over the wekend. Taiwan was one among the bigger players demonstrating it’s strong presence in the tourism industry at the show and increase Taiwan tourism from India
Despite a global concern of the outbreak of the Corona virus for immediate travel, the tourism industry is awaiting its upturn in the upcoming summer season. Taiwan , in lieu of expressing its interest to host Indian travellers for the summer season, has been participating in several trade events & hosting Roadshows, in an effort to showcase the interesting and unique aspects of the country.
The Taiwan stall at the fair had a huge vertical banner depicting the various cities in the country, the activities available there, as well as the greenery and beautiful mountains which Taiwan is famous for.
Here’s why Taiwan could be an ideal place for your next vacation destination:
- The New Taiwan Dollar currency is only 2.3 times of INR . So your expenses and travel would work out very cheap compared to other countries with higher denominations.
- Taiwan boasts an amazing network of Bullet trains between cities and this is a must do experience
- Taiwan is accessible with a fairly short 1stop layover at Kuala Lumpur / Singapore / Hong Kong depending on the airline with return fares of 20K INR or cheaper.
Visa for Taiwan Tourism from India
If you have a valid US/UK/Schengen/Australian visa, you are given a free 30 day visa and the above visa should not have expired or cancelled.
Else the cost for applying through the embassy is 50$ ( 3500-4000 INR)
For the Adventure Junkie
Hiking in Taiwan
A very favourite past time in Taiwan, more than 50% of the island nation is covered in mountains with at least 500 metres in height. There’s a popular top 100 Taiwanese mountains that make up a bucket list for the very avid, serious hiker.
The tallest peak in Taiwan, at 3,952 metres is called the Jade Mountain or Yushan and one of the most popular hikes in the country.
With a subtropical weather, mountain climbers/hikers can see the scenic vistas change from snow-clad mountains to sparkling beaches and secret hot springs and waterfalls. In fact, one of Taiwan’s best-kept secrets is the rugged Shei-Pa national park, in North Central Taiwan, with 51 peaks to explore.
Still not convinced?
Here’s a full list of adventure things you can do in Taiwan
- Go camping in Wuling Farm, and take pictures of blooming cherry trees and green foliage in spring.
- Walk across a suspension bridge and follow the trail of two crystalline rivers during a walk in Taroko National Park
- Explore the Seven Star Mountain or Qixing, Taiwan’s tallest volcano, just an hour from the capital Taipei, and take in sweeping views of the city.
- Do a daring glass Skywalk on Xiao Wulai river, suspended some 230 feet from the water, for some stunning insta shots!
- Last but not the least, explore the Hehuan Mountain Range, at an elevation of 11,207 feet and replete with trails for anyone from the leisure weekend walker to the expert mountaineer.
Dr Lin Trust, Director of Taiwan Tourist Board for India, Middle East and Asia Pacific quoted saying :
“In terms of what’s in store for this year, 2020 is the year of mountain tourism. With 268 mountain peaks higher than 3,000 metres, we want more international visitors to come to Taiwan to experience its mountains and nature. We’ve had lots of digital media explorers, especially youtubers, explore our mountains and look forward to welcoming more from India this year.In spite of the current health condition, we expect to have a 20% increase in tourism from India, to up to 40,000 visitors this year.”
A complimenting Destination
Interestingly , Taiwan can be clubbed with other nearby Asian destinations including Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia, thanks to the connectivity. So next time you are planning an Asian vacation, be sure to include Taiwan in your list .
