TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan officials announced on Wednesday (Dec. 18) that the country aims to boost tourism revenue by setting new spending targets for visitors. Chou Yung-hui (周永暉), head of the Tourism Administration (觀光署), stated that the goal for next year is to reach at least the pre-pandemic daily average spending of US$195.91 (around NT$6,370) per visitor.
Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC, 交通部) Minister Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) supported this initiative, emphasizing the need to enhance visitor spending levels. The Transportation Committee of the Legislative Yuan invited Chen, Chou, and Yang Wei-fuu (楊偉甫), chairman of the Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (桃園國際機場股份有限公司), to discuss strategies to improve the quality of transit and transfer tourism in Taiwan on Wednesday.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) Legislator Lee Kun-tse (李昆澤) highlighted a disparity in travel figures, noting that from January to October 2024, outbound trips from Taiwan reached over 14.16 million, a recovery rate of 97.22%. In contrast, inbound visitors only numbered 6.2 million, a recovery rate of just over 60%. Chen projected that visitors to Taiwan could reach 7.5 million this year, with a target of 10 million for 2025.
Lee pointed out that Japan has set a daily spending target of JP¥433 (around NT$14,084) based on an average three-night stay, while Taiwan has yet to establish a similar benchmark. Chou added that the 2025 goal is to exceed the 2019 average spending of US$195.91 per international visitor. Chen stressed the importance of boosting domestic tourism by addressing issues such as declining attraction appeal and high hotel prices. As Taiwan sets ambitious targets, the focus will remain on enhancing both international and domestic tourism experiences.