Taipei, March 11 (CNA) The cost of group tours from Taiwan to Asian destinations, including Japan and Southeast Asia, should fall 10-20 percent in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter, the Travel Quality Assurance Association (TQAA) said Friday.
The TQAA, a Taiwanese travel agency trade group aimed at protecting the interests of local tourists, said the depreciation of the Japanese yen and cuts in airline fares should lower group travel costs to Japanese cities by 10-20 percent in the second quarter.
Citing Tokyo and Osaka as the most popular destinations for Taiwanese tourists, the association expected five-day tours to Osaka to cost NT$42,800 (US$1,390)-NT$62,800 during the cherry blossom season in April and range between NT$33,900 and NT$55,900 in May and June.
Group tour costs to South Korea in the second quarter should fall 20 percent from a quarter earlier to levels seen prior to the COVID-19 era as most carriers flying between Taiwan and South Korea have boosted their capacity on those routes significantly, the association said.
For example, a five-day tour to Seoul during the second quarter will range between NT$11,800 and NT$33,000, according to the TQAA.
Meanwhile, the cost of group tours to Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines should fall about 10 percent in the second quarter given the promotional campaigns those countries have launched to drum up inbound tourism, the TQAA said.
The association estimated that a five-day tour to Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand should range between NT$25,900 and NT$32,900 in the second quarter.
While expenses for group travel from Taiwan to other Asian destinations should move lower, tour group costs to the United States, Canada and Europe are expected to continue to rise in the April-June period, the TQAA said.
The association said the sequential increase in the U.S. and Canadian markets is expected to hit 30-40 percent in the quarter, reflecting higher transportation and lodging expenses at a time of rising airfares and bus costs and a labor shortage.
During the April-June period, the TQAA said, the price of an 8-10 day journey to two cities in the western U.S. plus Los Vegas are expected to cost Taiwanese group tourists NT$74,900 to NT$98,900 in the second quarter, while the costs of a 9-10 day trip to Canada are expected to range between NT$98,900 and NT$145,000.
The TQAA said group tour expenses for Taiwanese travelers to Europe are expected to rise 20 percent on average from a quarter earlier in the April-June period due to 20-30 percent higher airfares and more expensive lodging, transportation and dining.
The prices of 10-12 day tours to France, Switzerland and Italy, for example, are expected to cost Taiwanese group tourists NT$117,900 to NT$139,900, the TQAA said.
