Words: Deepali Singh
In August, Dr. Trust Lin, Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB), Singapore Office, flagged off a train wrapped in colorful campaign images to expand the awareness of Taiwan as a tourist destination at the Versova Metro Station in Mumbai. Featuring photos of popular web-series stars, Sumeet Vyas, and Sapna Pabbi on vacation in Taiwan, the vibrant imagery highlights the great variety of holiday experiences offered by Taiwan, ‘The Heart of Asia’, as well as its rich history and scenic beauty. We caught up with Dr. Lin at the event and he told us that TTB has increased its marketing budget for India by six-fold, taking it to US$1.2 million annually. Additionally, Indian nationals who hold a residency or valid visa for the United States, Canada, the Schengen states, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, or Australia are now entitled to a free Taiwan visa, which can easily be applied for online. Here’s what he had to say…
Dr. Trust Lin, Why do you see India as a growing market for Taiwan tourism?
Last year, around 40,000 people from India visited Taiwan and the first half of 2019 saw a 6.8 percent growth. The target is to achieve a 20 percent growth by 2020. We have come up with a number of campaigns to reach our target.
Dr. Trust Lin, What are some of the initiatives being taken to promote Taiwan tourism in India?
A lot of people think that Taiwan is an IT destination but we want to show that it is much more than that. So we invited two Bollywood stars to visit the country and their colorful campaign images have been used on the Metro to create awareness about Taiwan as a beautiful, scenic place for people to visit. In addition to that, there are other campaigns coming up as well.
Dr. Trust Lin, The people in Taiwan are supposed to be very friendly. How much do they know about India?
Almost everyone who visits the country mentions how friendly the people are, especially from India. Bollywood movies are quite popular there and the tourists get a warm welcome from us.
What does Taiwan offer in terms of cuisine and culture?
Indian cuisine is getting popular there and there are a number of restaurants run by Indian chefs there. Taiwan is a foodie’s paradise. There are also tribal aboriginal people there and one can try their traditional cuisine as well. From local streetside stalls to five-star dining, there is something for everyone here. There are events and festivals taking place throughout the year, so one can really experience the local culture there.
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