TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Tourism Administration Director-General Chou Yung-hui (周永暉) remarked on Wednesday (Jan. 8) that the Alishan Forest Railway's inclusion in the New York Times' list of top travel destinations for 2025 highlights Taiwan's global appeal, especially after last year's earthquakes affected Hualien and the Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園).
Chou stressed that Alishan's (阿里山) position in the list is higher than Japan's Toyama and Osaka. The list from The New York Times also features Provence (普羅旺斯) in France, England, New York City museums, Greenland, Angola, Nicaragua, Benin City in Nigeria, New Orleans, the British Virgin Islands, Huangshan in China (黃山), Bulgaria, and Montserrat in the Caribbean.
Taiwan's sole entry, Chiayi's Alishan, earned praise for its unique experience of "traveling high into lush mountains on a reborn railway," alongside captivating images. Chou emphasized Alishan's significance as a representative international destination for Taiwan, according to reports.
Chou also pointed out the timely promotion of Alishan's railway journey. To further boost tourism, Taiwan has launched the "Taiwan Rail Tourism Festival" (台灣鐵道旅遊節) from June 1 to Sept. 1, aligning with the Midsummer Festival series of events. This initiative aims to enhance the island's appeal through its rich rail heritage.