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HOW TO SELL TAIWAN It's time for...


GENERAL INFORMATION


VISAS: Not required for stays of up to 90 days CLIMATE: Subtropical in the north and tropical in the far south with distinct winter and summer seasons. Spring and autumn months are the best time to visit. CURRENCY: TWD$46.8 = £1 (Jan ’13) TIME: GMT + 8 HEALTH: No inoculations required MORE INFORMATION: http://eng.taiwan.net.tw


HOW TO GET THERE


There are currently no direct fl ights between the UK and Taiwan. INDIRECT SERVICES INCLUDE: EVA Air: 020 7380 8300; www.evaair.com China Airlines: 020 8587 3688;


www.china-airlines.com Cathay Pacific: 020 8834 8888;


www.cathaypacific.com KLM: 0871 231 0000; www.klm.com China Eastern Airlines: 020 7935 2676; uk.ceair.com


LOOK TO BOOK


REGENT HOLIDAYS 020 7666 1244 An eight-day Taiwan Lakes and Mountains tour is priced from £1,755pp, for travel until December 8 2012. The price includes return EVA Air fl ights from London, accommodation on a B&B basis with some lunches and dinners, transfers and transportation with an English-speaking driver, entrance fees and the services of English- speaking guides. www.regent-holidays.co.uk


TAIWAN


BY BEN LERWILL When it comes to tourism in the Far East, Taiwan can often seem like one of the forgotten destinations. Although not especially diffi cult to reach and with a pleasant subtropical location, it remains largely off the mainstream travel radar. It comes as something of a surprise, then, that it offers so much to the visitor. The island crams in epic scenery, a remarkable modern history, rich indigenous traditions, cutting-edge technology, sundry leisure activities and some of the best food in the region. On top of all this, it has some world-class hotels – all this and the whole place is only half the size of Scotland! If you’re waiting for a catch, there isn’t one. An island, Taiwan sits just over 100 miles off the southeast coast of China. When Portuguese sailors fi rst passed it in the 1500s they gave it the name Ilha Formosa (Beautiful Island;), which was apt. Outside of its ultra-modern capital city Taipei, many of Taiwan’s choicest attractions come courtesy of the valleys, coastal features and lakes that make up its landscapes. Of particular note are Taroko Gorge, a beautiful forested chasm with high banks, and Sun Moon Lake, a serene body of water in the island’s heart.


In depth Packages to Taiwan from the UK commonly take the form of pre-arranged tours around the best-known highlights and activities. Hot springs resorts are found in numerous parts of the island – a legacy of the period Taiwan spent under Japanese rule – so taking a luxurious soak has now become a quintessentially Taiwanese activity. Cycling is another strong option – there are largely fl at cycle trails across much of the countryside. Taipei itself is chiefl y renowned for


the Taipei 101 Tower (until recently the second tallest building on the planet) and the superb National Palace Museum, which has an ancient Chinese art collection superior to any in the world. Like all Taiwanese cities, it also has some great night markets. It’s also worth stressing to clients the depth of the island’s history. There are still indigenous tribes living here, while the decades-long diplomatic tussle between Taiwan and China makes it an absorbing place for cultural tourists.


What’s new A free downloadable ‘Tour Taiwan’ app has been launched, giving smartphone users information on the main sights, attractions


50 January 2013 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


“Taiwan has a stronger tourism product than ever before, with a wide range of experiential tours and activities and a focus on authenticity”


and visitor activities. The Taiwan Tourist Shuttle (www.taiwantrip.com.tw), a hop-on hop-off service which takes independent travellers around the island’s main sights, has extended its route to include more parts of Taiwan.


Time for Taiwan Taiwan had more than six million international arrivals in 2011, up 9.5% on 2010. British visitors numbered 43,419. According to Johnson Wang, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Taiwan has a stronger tourism product than ever before, with a wide range of experiential tours and activities and a focus on authenticity. “A good example is our ‘International Spotlight’ areas, which allow visitors to


engage with Taiwanese lifestyles. “We promoted Taiwan heavily in the UK around the Olympic period through highly visible advertising, and we’ll build on this with further campaigns in the New Year. Our message is ‘Time for Taiwan’ and we believe 2013 could prove to be just that for British travellers. We’ll also be promoting Taiwan as a


stop-over destination, allowing transit passengers to stay one night in 5-star hotels in Taipei for an extra one Euro. We have an online training programme for agents and will continue to be involved with PATA events for the trade in 2013.”


Taipei's 101 Tower, the Chiang Kai Shek memorial and a glass arts master


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