City Strengthens Marketing Campaign Ahead of Visa Waiver for Filipinos
The Department of Information and Tourism (TPEDOIT) will beef up its campaign to lure tourists from the Philippines in line with Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ latest measure granting visa-free entry for visitors from the Southeast Asian country. Details and dates regarding the pilot visa-waiver program allowing Filipino tourists a 14-day stay have yet to be announced. The Philippines, with a large middle class population and only two hours by flight to Taiwan, boasts great outbound tourism potential. Taipei’s gastronomic appeal, diverse tourist resources, shopping environment, plus the visa-free agreements will add to the attractiveness of the island’s capital for Filipinos planning oversea travel, according to TPEDOIT Commissioner Chien Yu-yen. This year, the city government has implemented an array of promotional measures targeting ASEAN market, such as partnering with airlines and tourist agencies, publishing promotional literature in the languages of targeted countries, participating in travel fairs or expos, inviting media and tourist agency members from Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam to visit Taipei, and holding industry networking events. Taking advantage of growing online marketing opportunities, TPEDOIT also launched a project inviting bloggers of the Southeast Asian country’s well-known social networking website “Our Awesome Planet” to shoot short footages promoting travel in Taipei. Our Awesome Plant, a popular travel guide, will offer Filipinos information on Taipei’s food and recreations. The statistics released by Tourism Bureau indicate that Taiwan reported 181,850 tourist arrivals from the Philippines between January and August, a 71% rise on a year-on-year basis. The relaxation of visa rules is expected to draw more tourists from the archipelago.