Taiwan-US Travel Surges 51% in Jan-Apr, Taiwan Becomes 18th Largest Source Market

(Central News Agency, correspondent Yu Xiaohan, Taipei, 11th) The US Travel Promotion Association announced today that from January to April this year, the number of Taiwanese travelers to the US increased by 51% compared to the same period last year, propelling Taiwan to become the 18th largest source market for the US. This is the best performance since the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to statistics from the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Taiwanese outbound travelers totaled 7,121,102 person-trips from January to April this year, with Japan being the most popular destination. The US accounted for approximately 3% of all outbound travelers.

The US Travel Promotion Association held a quarterly meeting today. Association Chairperson Tang Jing-yi stated that the number of Taiwanese travelers to the US from January to April was an impressive 147,496, a 51% increase from 97,866 in the same period last year. This has elevated Taiwan to the 18th largest source market for the US (including Canada and Mexico).

Tang noted that this is the best result since the pandemic, and while global travel to the US saw a slight decline in the first four months of this year, Taiwan showed exceptional growth. The primary drivers are the economic and trade investments between Taiwan and the US stimulating travel demand, along with several airlines launching new routes to the US.

Tang believes that although rising oil prices have led to higher airfares, the adjustment of fuel surcharges in Taiwan has been very modest compared to other countries. Therefore, while there is an impact, it is not considered significant.

Regarding the target for this year, Tang stated that the performance from January to April has already exceeded expectations, and she hopes the same growth rate can be maintained in the second half of the year.

Additionally, Brand USA's Taiwan representative, Tsai Pi-ru, pointed out that there are still some misunderstandings and information gaps in the market regarding visa regulations, entry procedures, related fees, and national park charges. Previously, there was a lack of integrated information. Therefore, Brand USA has launched a new travel navigation plan to help travelers access the latest information for traveling to the US. (Editor: Guan Zhongwei) 1150611