TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Although inbound tourism grew 9% from January to September, 8.05 million more travelers left Taiwan than visited during the same period, reports said Thursday.

In a report to the Legislative Yuan, Tourism Administration Director-General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) acknowledged the tourist deficit is growing, the Liberty Times reported. Keeping Taiwanese traveling domestically is difficult for several reasons, she said.

Transportation is so convenient that travelers can visit anywhere and return home by evening without staying in hotels, Chen said. She added that hotel stays are too expensive and most people do not travel on weekdays, often opting instead for quick weekend trips overseas.

From January to July, 4.78 million people visited Taiwan from overseas, up 9.9% from the same period last year. However, 10.87 million Taiwanese traveled overseas in the same period, a 10.5% increase from January to July 2024, per CNA. Chen cited exchange rates as one reason overseas travel remains popular.

With cumulative visitors reaching 6.05 million by September, lawmakers questioned whether the original target of 9 million could be met this year, suggesting a more likely figure of 8.3–8.4 million.

Chen reported a 12% increase in visitors from Japan, reaching 1 million one month earlier than in 2024. There were also double-digit increases in travelers from India, Australia, and New Zealand.

Nevertheless, after hitting 9 million last year, the tourist deficit is likely to set another record in 2025 once fourth-quarter figures are tallied, lawmakers said.