The Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je says that the torch relay for the 2017 Taipei Universiade will be designed to promote tourism to Taiwan.
Ko said during an interview Thursday that the Taipei City Government plans to have the relay pass through multiple cities in Europe. However, Ko said that after reaching an agreement with the Cabinet, the city has decided to cut down the number of European stops, and to rearrange the route with an emphasis on tourism markets with greater potential.
"We are planning our the route for torch relay to help boost Taiwan’s tourism. Besides two European cities, Taipei’s tourism department is still trying to decide on cities in Southeast Asia and Mainland China. They will only choose cities where citizens may show interest in coming to Taiwan," Ko said.