Hotels in Taipei seeing a gradual increase in bookings by foreign tourists

Hotels in Taipei seeing a gradual increase in bookings by foreign tourists

2022-10-17

Taiwan’s borders have been open for less than a week, but already, foreign tourists are streaming in. One hotel in Taipei says that 70% of its bookings for late October are foreign travelers. Another says it’s ready for a surge in bookings over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

Receptionists check in guests in a lobby full of people. Taiwan lifted all COVID border restrictions on Thursday last week and finally international travelers are coming in. Most people arriving are business travelers and independent travelers. This tourist from the U.S. says he had really been looking forward to exploring Taiwan.

American tourist
I was monitoring that because I don’t think anyone wants to stay in a hotel room for three days or a week. The flight from LA was very full. It’s nice to see Taiwan open up. And I’m here to explore this beautiful, very important island.

The traveler says he’s planning to travel around Taiwan for two weeks. According to the hotel, more than half of guests in late October are international travelers. In November and December, which are traditionally high season for the hospitality sector, occupancy is already at 80%. And 70% of bookings are for foreign travelers.

Tsai Hui-ju
Hotel PR
We have guests from Hong Kong, Singapore, as well as independent travelers from Europe and the U.S. There are also some tour groups. So we are optimistic about business in the fourth quarter. We hope to see 10% to 20% higher numbers.

The hotel has released special packages of about 15% off for long stays ranging from seven days to one month. Another hotel decided to take advantage of the lull in tourism due to COVID to renovate its facilities. Now it’s ready to reopen to offer the best services to foreign visitors.

Chao Chih-chi
Hotel PR
There are quite a lot of Taiwanese travelers making bookings for the Christmas season and New Year’s Eve. There are also a few foreign tourists hoping to visit Taipei.

Before the pandemic, at least 90% of the guests at this hotel in Taipei were foreign travelers. Aver a facility revamp, the hotel is ready to make bank on the holiday season now that tourists are back.

邊境解封國外旅客增加業者搶攻耶誕.跨年商機

2022-10-17

台灣邊境開放第一週，飯店業者觀察，外國旅客入住的變多，10月中下旬一半來自國外，年底檔期訂房率7成也是海外旅客。另外，也有業者趁疫情期間改裝，重新整頓後，等著迎接聖誕和跨年商機。

飯店櫃檯人員忙著服務客人，旅客人來人往，大廳相當熱鬧，台灣邊境開放，業者觀察外國人明顯變多，大多是商務客和自由行，來自美國的觀光客等不及要探索台灣之美。

[[美國觀光客]]
“我一直在觀察何時解封，我想沒人想關在飯店房間裡3天或一週。從洛杉磯來的班機很滿，看到台灣開放覺得很棒，我來探索這個美麗的、非常重要的島嶼”

美國觀光客好不容易等到台灣解封，打算環島兩週，飯店業者觀察，10月中下旬入住的客人，一半以上來自國外，11、12月有許多節慶，是傳統飯店旺季，目前訂房率近八成，就有高達七成來自海外旅客。

[[飯店公關蔡蕙如]]
“香港、新加坡，甚至有一些來自歐美自由行旅客，也有像參訪團。所以我們也蠻看好今年的第四季住房業績，可以有大概1到2成左右增長”

飯店祭出長住優惠，短的7天、長至1個月，約有85折優惠。另一家飯店則是趁疫情期間改裝，房間大翻新，要用最好的服務，迎接外國旅客。

[[飯店公關趙芝綺]]
“目前聖誕節跟跨年這個檔期也蠻多國內客人提前開始預訂，也有少部分國外觀光客其實蠻期待來台北”

疫情前，台北的飯店住房九成靠外國旅客，業者改善軟硬體設施，看好年底聖誕和跨年檔期，搶攻解封商機。

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Councilor candidates from the Taiwan Statebuilding Party stand in line and chant slogans. Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to get a third term leading China. In Taiwan, the Taiwan Statebuilding Party wants to raise awareness about what that could mean for Taiwan.

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After the 20th Chinese Communist Party Congress, the Taiwan Strait will be in a situation of unprecedented danger. So we have decided that the day after the congress ends, on Oct. 23, we will hold a parade. It’ll show Taiwan’s vanguard – a march to protect Taiwan. We want to make it known that Taiwan stands together, and that we are resolved to fight off China and protect Taiwan.

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I would like to ask all our supporters, to not give a single vote to the mayoral and councilor candidates from the Taiwan People’s Party or the KMT. That’s the only way to effectively show them that surrendering Taiwan has no market in this country.

The councilor directed words at the pro-China parties in Taiwan. Chinese leader Xi has often discussed plans to annex Taiwan, engaging in armed conflict if necessary. Despite this, the KMT confirmed that it had sent a congratulatory message to China on the occasion of the CCP Congress. The message has been used in Chinese state media as proof that political parties in the quote “Taiwan Area” support closer cross-strait ties.

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The Chinese Nationalist Party’s central committee on Sunday sent a congratulatory message to the Chinese Communist Party’s central committee, voicing hope that, on the foundation of the “1992 consensus” and opposition to “Taiwan independence,” the two sides of the strait will have substantial exchanges and cooperation on all fields.

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Despite the fact that Xi has advocated for armed conflict against Taiwan, the KMT still bends at the knee for them and sends over a congratulatory message. They do that instead of protesting China, and voicing disapproval of its stance. I think this is a shameful moment that will be forever part of the KMT’s history.

Analysts have also closely followed Xi’s words on Taiwan at the CCP Congress.

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He spoke for two hours, yet made no mention of “one country, two systems.” He has said he wants to solve the Taiwan issue, but he didn’t put forward any concrete plans. Instead he just spoke all these empty words. So we didn’t really see anything of substance in that. To a certain extent, Xi Jinping is just pursuing an ostrich policy.

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Xi Jinping says China will never renounce the use of force against Taiwan. That’s nothing special. They’ve been saying the same thing for decades. But a point that he stressed was that the conflict won’t be against Taiwanese compatriots, but against external forces that intervene.

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Taiwan aims to install 200 offshore wind turbines before end of the year

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Wang Mei-hua
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There were originally 183 locations that were flooded, but as of 8 a.m. today that number was down to 19, and there are 3,600 homes without power. That’s after we restored power to 3,300 homes.

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Wang Mei-hua
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