TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taitung County Government is targeting the 780,000 foreigners living in Taiwan by rolling out exclusive tour packages and offering a limited number of hand cream and travel-sized personal care products for early bird bookings, free of charge.
To promote the packages, the local government has announced new incentives for early birds, including free Herbacin Kamille hand cream for the first 500 pass buyers. The first 50 buyers can additionally get My Forest Friends travel-size personal care products.
A lucky draw event is also underway in which those who "like" the Facebook fan page Amazing Taitung and tag any of their foreign friends will be eligible to draw for free five-star hotel vouchers in Taitung.
Nestled in southeastern Taiwan, between the Central Mountain Ridge and the Pacific Ocean, Taitung has been a popular destination for local and international travelers who enjoy pristine, natural landscapes and want to experience well-preserved indigenous cultures and lifestyles. The internationally renowned travel guide, Lonely Planet, once listed this eastern Taiwanese county as one of the top 10 Asian destinations for its stunning coastline and unique indigenous culture.
The foreigner-exclusive tour packages, first launched in June, offer various transportation options including trains and airplanes, to get to the county. Once there, travelers can switch to other vehicles to roam the beautiful coastline such as boarding a bus or renting a car. The packages offer better fares and discounts, which are as high as 53 percent.
The packages are being issued as one-day and two-day travel passes and feature the most popular destinations including Orchid Island, which is named after its abundance of moth orchids; Fushan Fish Reserve (富山護漁區), which is the perfect spot for marine animal lovers; Huayuan Bay (華源海灣), known for being the best place to catch the sunset; Jhiben Hot Spring (知本溫泉), whose high-quality spring water and exquisite Japanese-style bathhouses makes it a must-visit for local hot spring lovers; and Chishang (池上) township, which is famous for its vast, green rice paddies.
Jhiben Hot Spring (Taitung County Government Tourism Department photo)
Fushan Fish Reserve (Taitung County Government Tourism Department photo)
The one-day, two-day, three-day pass covers transportation, accommodation, cultural venue admission, and coupons which can be used in over 100 stores, hotels, and restaurants. Prices of the pass range between NT$225 (US$8) and NT$15,000 (US$525).
The immigration office's data shows that approximately 780,000 expatriates are living in Taiwan as of the end of August. Japanese actress Mariko, who is the tour package brand ambassador, recently spoke to media saying that the pass is convenient for foreigners like her and makes traveling across Taitung much easier.
Taitung Forest Park (Taiwan News photo)
Taitung coastline. (Taiwan News photo)
