TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) estimates that the number of visits by international travelers to Taiwan will be only about 1.35 million this year, the lowest in nearly 20 years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statistics in a report the MOTC presented to the Legislative Yuan's Transportation Committee, only 1.29 million international travelers visited Taiwan from January to August, a decrease of 83.8 percent compared to the same period last year, according to CNA. In 2019, Taiwan received 11,864,105 visits from international travelers.

The Taiwan Tourism Bureau also pointed out that only 2,229,568 Taiwanese had traveled abroad in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year decrease of 80.9 percent.

The report also mentioned that the Tourism Bureau aims to make tourism a cornerstone in the future development of the country, per CNA.