TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Tourists from Japan are in luck as Taiwan on Friday (July 21) welcomed its three millionth tourist, who happened to be a Japanese citizen, while a separate Japanese visitor was also the winner of a cash prize from the Tourism Bureau.
The arrival of a Japanese woman surnamed Shirai (??) marked the milestone of three million international visitors to Taiwan this year. It took less than two months for Taiwan to add another 1 million visitors, according to the Tourism Bureau.
A bureau official presented Shirai with a gift after arrival, and she expressed her gratitude as this was her first trip to Taiwan. She will explore the country with her husband, including stops at Longshan Temple, Taipei 101, and the National Palace Museum.
On the same day, a Japanese girl surnamed Nagamatsu (??) became the winner of a lucky draw held by the Tourism Bureau and claimed a voucher worth NT$5,000 (US$159). The raffle, named “Taiwan the Lucky Land,” was launched in May to lure international travelers, and only those visiting via independent travel (not part of a tour group), possessing a non-Taiwan passport, and staying in the country for three to 90 days, are eligible to win.
The prize could be an e-voucher or discount coupon for accommodation services, worth NT$5,000. As of July 20, a total of 394,000 visitors had participated in the event, which runs until 2025. More information can be found on the website.
Taiwan has set a goal of 6 million visitors for 2023 by engaging in various campaigns, including shooting promotional videos featuring foreign celebrities. The largest origins of foreign visitors are Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea, per the Tourism Bureau.
(Tourism Bureau screenshot)
