TAIWAN is eager to capture more arrivals from the Philippines.
Following the extension of its trial visa-free access until July 2019, Taiwan’s tourism ministry is aiming to welcome some 400,000 Filipinos to visit this year.
Abe Chou, director of Taiwan Tourism Bureau for Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei, said the visa-free access extension will benefit both territories, as destinations like Cebu also aim to attract huge arrivals from strong markets like Taiwan.
Chou said if there’s a healthy people exchange between two economies, this will attract more Taiwanese and Filipinos to explore each other’s tourism offerings.
Taiwan’s trial visa-free access has yielded positive results. The number of Filipinos who traveled to Taiwan grew by 57.17 percent over the same period last year. It recorded some 285,819 Filipino tourists from January to August 2018.
Chou said they expect more Filipinos to visit Taiwan, not only because of the visa-free access but also because of the direct flights currently serving both destinations.
Carriers offering direct flights to Taiwan out of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport include Cebu Pacific, Air Asia, Philippine Airlines, Eva Air and Tiger Air Taiwan.
Taiwan offered the Philippines an initial nine-month visa-free trial period last November.
Reports said that the visa-free program is part of the government’s effort to increase the number of visitors from countries included in its “New Southbound Policy” covering the 10 Southeast Asian countries, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
Moreover, Taiwan is one of Central Visayas’ top travel source markets. The region welcomed 71,739 tourists from Taiwan last year, up by 69.75 percent from 42,261 tourists in 2016.
Arrivals during the first quarter this year stood at 10,564. (KOC)