Taipei International Travel Fair gets underway

2015/11/09

The Taipei International Travel Fair kicks off Nov. 6 at the Taipei World Trade Center, with 1,450 pavilions from over 60 countries and territories worldwide set to draw a record attendance of more than 350,000, according to the Taiwan Visitors Association.

Billed as the largest annual tourism expo in the Asia-Pacific region, the 23rd edition of the TITF is setting another record this year with NT$15 million (US$462,420) in prizes, including a business-class return ticket for any U.S. West Coast destination by way of Tokyo.

Representatives from major participating nations, such as India, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand and the U.S., are to stage a vast array of performances during the four-day event to boost sales.

According to TVA Chairwoman Janice Lai, this year’s TITF is projected to generate NT$2 billion in business revenue. She attributes the fair’s success to its heightened role in facilitating industry exchanges and transactions.

“A pre-show business-to-business platform attracted 97 buyers and tourism operators from over 20 countries, with a total of 1,455 matchmaking meetings planned throughout the event,” Lai said, noting that the number of meetings marks a new milestone in the 29-year history of the show.

“We expect the strengthening of industry activities to further consolidate the presence of the TITF as a major trade platform for the Asia-Pacific tourism sector.”

Themed Really Love Travel, this year’s expo is expected to benefit from the Cabinet’s recent economic stimulus plan. The raft of short-term incentives was announced Oct. 30 by Premier Mao Chi-kuo to give the domestic economy a shot in the arm. Measures include subsidies for the purchase of smartphones, energy-efficient home appliances and domestic travel.

Tapping the immense potential presented by the stimulus package, various exhibitors are offering travel specials at the fair, according to Fan Chih-ku, deputy minister of transportation and communications. He said the government will ramp up collaboration with the TITF to take the development of local tourism to the next level.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=238614&ctNode=2194&mp=9)