Since international travel became more convenient again last year, the Taiwanese have been very eager to go on holidays abroad rather than spend their time off domestically. But the numbers of foreign tourists coming to Taiwan are still a fraction of pre-pandemic levels, which is putting a strain on the hospitality industry.
The Lunar New Year break ended only a few days ago, but many people in Taiwan have already started planning their next holiday. Whether it’s azure seas in the south or snowy peaks in northern latitudes, most travelers seem to be set on going abroad rather than taking domestic trips.
Travel agent Chen Chien-chin (陳健欽) says one of his customers has taken four trips abroad since borders opened late last year.
Many online commenters have pointed to low interest in domestic travel within their social circles. Most commonly cited reasons include high accommodation fees and bad traffic.
Hotels in Taiwan tend to raise their prices heavily around holidays, sometimes by three to four times. But hotels in Japan only raise prices slightly during busy periods.
Mr. Chen says that foreign hotels don’t observe the Lunar New Year and usually have two pricing tiers depending on demand. Hotels in Taiwan, on the other hand, often have three of four different fees for popular holiday periods.
Travel industry insiders say that interest in foreign trips in March and April is high, so demand for domestic tourism might go down even more. This may force some businesses to lower their prices to attract customers, so those planning a trip around Taiwan might want to wait a bit more for a better deal.
Tomasz Koper, Rti News