SHIFT:
Taiwan is evolving from a transit stop into a tourist destination, with more international travelers willing to spend on tours, dining and cultural activities

By Shelley Shan /
Staff reporter

Taiwan rose three places in the World Tourism Barometer to 36th globally in 2024, with international tourism revenue of US$10.028 billion, the Tourism Administration said on Monday.

The UN Tourism Organization publication said that its focus has switched from whether a country has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels of tourism to the amount spent by a tourist during an overseas trip.

The nation last year welcomed 8.57 million international tourists, about 9 percent more than in 2024, with most tourists coming from Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong and Macau, all of which accounted for at least 1 million tourists each.

Photo: Tsai Yun-jung, Taipei Times

During the first three quarters of last year, 6,057,907 tourists arrived in Taiwan, a 9.25 percent increase from the same period in 2024, the Tourism Administration said.

International tourism revenue during the first three quarters of last year, which did not include spending on airfares, was about US$7.886 billion, year-on-year growth of 11.56 percent, it said.

“The data showed that growth in Taiwan’s international tourism revenue outpaced the number of international tourists, indicating that inbound tourists’ spending patterns are also changing,” it said.

“In the past, international tourists often came to Taiwan for short, shopping-focused trips. However, in the past few years, more inbound visitors are extending their stays, traveling across multiple cities and spending on a variety of leisure activities,” it said.

Overall spending patterns of tourists from different countries also changed.

On average, tourists from the US spent 10 days in Taiwan, with a daily expenditure of about NT$7,600 (US$241.50), while the total cost of a trip is about NT$75,000, which covers accommodation, transportation, cultural events and tours, the agency said.

European tourists spent an average of NT$6,300 per day, with an average stay of 12 days, spending a total of about NT$80,000, it said.

Tourists from Southeast Asian countries — particularly from the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia — spent about NT$5,000 to NT$5,500 per day, with an average stay of seven to nine days for a total cost of about NT$35,000 to NT$45,000, it added.

The data showed that Taiwan is evolving from a transit stop into a tourist destination, the agency said.

“More inbound tourists are willing to spend more time and money on tours, local cuisine and cultural activities, showing that Taiwan has steadily developed a more definite appeal among international travelers,” it said.

Meanwhile, Taiwanese outbound travel surged to a record-high last year, figures released on Wednesday last week by the Tourism Administration showed.

The number of outbound trips by Taiwanese reached 18,944,436 last year, up 12.43 percent from 2024, it said.

Japan remained the most popular destination, followed by China, with Hong Kong and Macau ranking third.

Japan was Taiwan’s largest source for international travel, followed by Hong Kong and Macau, while South Korea ranked third.

The gap between outbound and inbound travel reached 10,369,889 trips, the agency said.

Based on average spending figures from 2024 — US$1,276 per inbound visitor and NT$55,541 per outbound Taiwanese traveler — the tourism trade deficit is an estimated NT$700.98 billion.

The Tourism Administration attributed the widening imbalance to factors such as favorable exchange rates, the continued recovery of international flight capacity from the pandemic, geopolitical developments and visa relaxations by competing destinations.

Taiwan has recorded more outbound than inbound travel every year since 1990.

Despite the tourism deficit, outbound travel by Taiwanese continues to benefit domestic carriers, as well as the travel, insurance and retail sectors.