TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Tourism Administration (觀光署) announced Wednesday (Sept. 4) that Japanese star Satoshi Tsumabuki (妻夫木聰) has become Taiwan's latest tourism ambassador, aiming to attract more Japanese tourists to the island.
Tsumabuki recently arrived in Taiwan to film promotional videos. He experienced various activities in Taiwan, including water sports at Sun Moon Lake (日月潭), tea picking and tasting in Alishan (阿里山), shrimp fishing, and sampling local snacks.
Tsumabuki expressed his honor as an ambassador to convey Taiwan's charm. He shared that he has visited Taiwan many times and loves the warmth of its people. The star recommended local Taiwanese food, adding that many Taiwanese speak Japanese, encouraging more interaction between the two nations.
This year, the Tourism Administration set a goal of 10 million international tourists, with 2 million from Japan. According to their statistics, nearly 5 million tourists visited Taiwan from January to August, including approximately 800,000 Japanese visitors. However, this number is significantly lower than the 2.16 million Japanese tourists who visited in 2019 before the pandemic.
Director-General Chou Yung-Hui (周永暉) emphasized that Japan, only three hours away, is a crucial market for Taiwan. He hopes to quickly return to pre-pandemic levels, allowing Japanese tourists to explore Taiwan deeply.