how to sell Taiwan F
TAIWAN ESSENTIALS TIME: GMT +8 hours CAPITAL CITY: Taipei
VISAS: No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days
CURRENCY: Taiwan New Dollar (£1 = 49TWD)
LANGUAGE: Standard Mandarin
CONTACT: eng.taiwan.
net.tw
BOOK IT Cox & Kings currently offers a 13-night ‘Beautiful Island’ group itinerary from £2595pp, including time in Taipei, Taroko Gorge, Chihpen, Kenting National Park, the Buddhist monastery at Fo Guang Shan, Tainan, Alishan and Sun Moon Lake.
coxandkings.co.uk
OTHER TOUR OPERATORS
regent-holidays.co.uk explore.co.uk transindus.co.uk wendywutours.co.uk
GETTING THERE
evaair.com emirates.com cathaypacific.com airchina.co.uk
ull of cultural variety and packed with natural beauty, tiny Taiwan has been called Asia’s best-kept secret. The island sits just over 100 miles
off the east coast of China but is very much a place of its own, from the soaring towers of Taipei to the parks and gorges of the interior.
Why sell it
The fi rst fi ve months of this year saw an increase of close to 50% in UK visitors to Taiwan, with 24,485 arrivals compared to last year’s 16,560. The launch of a new Emirates fl ight from Dubai in February is one contributory factor, but the statistic is also a sign that awareness and demand are both growing. It’s relatively easy to reach too, with a number of other one-stop fl ight options from the UK.
Sell to whom
It’s not a mass market destination yet – but that’s the appeal. Taiwan is a great option for travellers who may have already sampled Asia and are now looking for something different and largely undiscovered. History buffs, food tourists and culture- curious travellers will all be well provided for, while special mention goes to the great outdoors: cyclists and hikers will enjoy the chance to explore spectacular landscapes while sampling Taiwan’s day-to-day life.
Sell what
There are some obvious highlights. In the capital, Taipei, top billing
“Head to Taipei’s Shilin Night Market to sample authentic Taiwanese street-food, from oyster omelettes to stinky tofu”
Taroko Gorge
goes to the Taipei 101 tower – once the world’s tallest building – and the National Palace Museum, which contains many Chinese imperial treasures smuggled onto the island by Chairman Mao’s nemesis, Chiang Kai-Shek. Elsewhere, the marble- walled canyon of Taroko Gorge is a good choice for nature-lovers, as is the serene Sun Moon Lake. In more general terms, it’s worth pointing out how much diversity there is within Taiwan – visitors can delve into the island’s 8,000-year- old indigenous heritage, explore Taiwanese cuisine at street markets and head to the beaches and national parks of the south or wallow in the hot springs that the destination is renowned for.
sellingtravel.co.uk
33
by Ben Lerwill
Sun Moon Lake Sell when
The island has a subtropical monsoon climate, which translates into humid summers and milder winters. It means that autumn and winter are generally seen as the most appealing times to visit, with early summer (May to July) a viable alternative. Large-scale annual events include Chinese New Year and the colourful Lantern Festival, both of which take place at the start of the year, while the increasingly popular nine-day Taiwan Cycling Festival is held in November.
What's new
As well as the freshly launched Emirates route, Taiwan-based carrier EVA Air, was late last month due to introduce a Hello Kitty-branded Boeing 777 on its Paris-Taipei route. EVA has also just updated its Royal Laurel Class facilities, with Panasonic eX3 entertainment systems. In other news, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau is currently offering all visitors a voucher for free entry to one of 18 amusement parks around the destination, valid until January 2015 (email
Taiwan@brightergroup.com to claim for clients). •
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