Taipei City Government

To promote local tourism, the Taipei City Government Department of Information and Tourism (TPEDOIT) collaborated with Malaysian ASTRO TV to bring actress Yana Samsudin with her husband Fadzil Zahari on a visit to Taipei.

The agency designed a tour that is tailored for Muslim travelers. The itinerary includes staying at a hotel with displays marking the direction of Makkah and dining in Halal restaurants.

Yana is a well-known actress in Malaysia. She directed her first movie at the age of 23. The celebrity is also a host for the Malaysian travel TV show “ROMANTIKA”. Boasting 2.33 million Facebook fans, Yana posted her travel videos on her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/yanasamsudin.fanpage). The clips show fun things to do in Taipei such as shrimp fishing, as well as visiting Yangmingshan and Taipei 101.

Even though this trip was her first time visiting Taipei, Yana felt a sense of familiarity because there are many Chinese descendants in Malaysia. She enjoys the Taipei’s clean environment. The group visited various landmarks including Taipei 101, Xinyi shopping district, and Songshan Culture and Creative Park. Yana especially liked mango-flavored shaved ice. For nature lovers visiting Taipei, she recommends Yangmingshan for its beautiful flowers.

TPEDOIT Commissioner Chien Yu-yen noted that Taiwan is ranked 10th place among non-Islamic countries in “MasterCard-CresentRating Global Muslim Travel Index 2015”. Taking Muslim diet and culture into account, the agency seeks to provide more traveling suggestions for Muslim tourists in Taipei. Currently, there are 26 Halal restaurants across the city, each serving variety of gourmet dishes. Chien also urges business owners to provide more Muslim friendly facilities.