TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Heritage sites and parks under the Tainan Cultural Affairs Bureau generated more than NT$2 million (US$65,176) in combined ticket and merchandise sales during the National Day holiday, setting a record for the period, the bureau said Sunday.
The break from Friday to Sunday featured cultural programs linking historic landmarks, art performances, and creative markets. Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Huang Ya-ling (黃雅玲) said the events boosted tourism and the local economy while showing how culture is woven into daily life, per CNA.
Tainan, Taiwan’s oldest city, is known for its rich heritage. Sites managed by the bureau include Chihkan Tower, Anping Fort, the Eternal Golden Castle, the Anping Tree House, and the Shuijiaoshe Cultural Park.
The Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum marked its sixth anniversary with a 100-meter water slide that drew crowds. The attraction also lifted visits to nearby sites such as the Zuojhen Fossil Park and the Tapani Incident Memorial Park.
According to Travel Tainan, the Zuojhen Fossil Park houses a rare collection of marine and terrestrial fossils — including mammoths, stegodonts, ancient deer, crocodiles, and shellfish — and its concentration of terrestrial vertebrate fossils makes it one of Taiwan’s major paleontological sites.
Meanwhile, the Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum blends cultural preservation with environmental education. The site features a historic museum area and a purification pond zone about 1 kilometer apart, including national historic buildings, water basins, walking trails, and a natural bat habitat, the bureau said, citing the Tainan City Museum.
To celebrate the holiday, several heritage sites offered promotions such as “buy two, get one free” admission and complimentary anthurium flowers for visitors. Favorable weather and a festive atmosphere drew families, couples, and domestic and international tourists to major landmarks, Huang said.
The bureau said the strong turnout reflected growing interest in cultural activities and that it will continue rolling out innovative programs to strengthen Tainan’s reputation as a leading cultural destination.
