Taiwan is ramping up marketing and promotions to attract 320,000 tourists from the Philippines as it targets to recoup pre-pandemic arrival figures.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines on Saturday said Filipino travelers reached about 510,000 in 2019.

“Since Taiwan’s border has been open to tourists since October 13 last year, the number of Filipino visitors to Taiwan has grown rapidly, which shows the high enthusiasm of Filipino tourists for Taiwan,” it said in a statement.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau Kuala Lumpur Office and the Taiwan Amusement Park Association held a promotion conference in Manila over the weekend to invite Filipinos to visit the numerous amusement parks across the island.

Eleven amusement parks, six travel agencies, and three airline representatives from Taiwan came while more than a hundred Philippine travel agencies, including the Philippine Travel Agencies Association, participated from Manila.

Chun-Jun, Liao, chair of the Taiwan Amusement Park Association, said theme parks in Taiwan are diverse, some even incorporate Taiwan’s aboriginal culture, hot springs, and flower viewing, among others.

The bureau’s theme park promotions are on top of its efforts to highlight Taiwan’s night market delicacies, cityscape, and other popular tourism products.

To date, Taiwan remains visa-free for Filipino tourists.

Among the parks the bureau promoted are Leofoo Village Theme Park, Formosan Aboriginal Culture Village, Janfusan Fancy World, Little Ding-Dong Science Theme Park, Yehliu Ocean World, Farglory Ocean Park, West Lake Resortopia, Atayal Resort, Sun-Link-Sea Forest & Nature Resort, Shangshun World, E-DA Theme Park and more. (PNA)