Los Angeles, Aug. 25 (CNA) Taiwan has been named the "Favorite Adventure Destination" for 2023 by U.S.-based web publication Trazee Travel.
Readers of Trazee Travel, which provides reviews and news on the latest travel trends for 25-40-year-olds, voted for the winners of the Favorite Adventure Destination and other titles from December 2022 to May 2023, according to the website.
Commenting on the selections, Lin Yi-cheng (林宜錚), head of the Los Angeles office of Taiwan's Tourism Bureau, told CNA on Friday that in the post-COVID-19 era, the number of arrivals from the United States and Canada to Taiwan had been on the rise.
As many visitors from North America favor adventures in nature and outdoor activities, the Tourism Bureau has integrated resources islandwide to come up with "green trip itineraries," give an introduction to Taiwan's culture and attract social media influencers to the island, Lin said.
Data compiled by the bureau showed the number of visitors from the United States and Canada totaled 270,000 in the first six months of this year, which was equivalent to 75 percent of 360,000 in the first half of 2019 before the outbreak of the pandemic, indicating the tourism market in Taiwan is experience a quick recovery, Lin added.
To attract more young visitors from North America, Lin said, the bureau has diversified its programs to cover a wide range of topics such as culture, ecology, foods and shopping to meet their different demands and allow them to have unique traveling experiences in Taiwan.
Citing Songboling Visitor Center located at the south end of Baguashan (Bagua Mountain) in Nantou County, central Taiwan, one of the most important places to grow tea in the country, as an example, Lin said it had unveiled its program for six senses for tea tasting: take a look at tea infusion after making a tea, smell the tea, hear the sound of tea leaves immersing in the hot water, touch the tea leaves, drink the tea and feel how the tea warm the chest.
Lin said such a program is expected to help visitors learn how Nantou makes its efforts to grow tea and even learn to respect nature.
In addition to Taiwan, Trazee Travel has also named Seoul of South Korea the "Favorite Worldwide City" in 2023 for the second year in a row, while Greece took the title as the "Favorite Country" for the fourth consecutive year.
Meanwhile, Tahiti was named the "Favorite Honeymoon Destination" for the fourth consecutive year. New Orleans of Louisiana won the title of the "Favorite Foodie City" and Santa Fe of New Mexico the "Friendliest City," according to Trazee Travel.
