Taiwan Travel and Tourism

Since Taiwan’s outbound travel restriction was lifted in October 2022, there has been a travel boom for Taiwanese going abroad for tourism and sight-seeing. In June 2023, the number of Taiwanese travelling internationally—totaling more than 1 million travelers — reached its peak since 2020   Among the foreign destinations, the United States has long been the most beloved long-haul travel destination for Taiwanese. In 2022, the United States welcomed over 137,000 Taiwanese tourists in 2022. 

To reflect such high market demand, the Taiwanese and foreign flight carriers that operate Taiwan-U.S. direct flight shave planned to increase their supply.

For instance, United Airlines, the only U.S. carrier that operates the direct flight from Taipei (TPE) to San Francisco (SFO)  is opening the second daily TPE-SFO flight in October 2023.

On the Taiwan side, the newly established airline company, Starlux Airlines, launched its first transpacific flight to Los Angeles (LAX) in April 2023. By the end of the year, Starlux Airlines is set to operate a Taipei (TPE) to San Francisco (SFO) directly flight. In July 2023, China Airlines stated their passenger flight occupancy rate has recovered to 80% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Additionally, the group is planning to enlarge its fleet size and kick-off a new flight to Seattle in 2024. EVA Air—another Taiwanese airline tycoon — is evaluating new flights with U.S. destinations including Boston, Washington D.C., and Dallas. Currently, EVA Air operates 8 direct routes to North American cities, which represents the most covered network among Taiwanese flight operators.

The Commerce Department’s National Travel and Tourism Office estimates that, in 2023, there will be a 139% increase in inbound travelers from Taiwan to the United States. Taiwanese travelers are expected to visit their friends and family, to go on business and trade shows, and to study in the U.S., presenting ample opportunities for the U.S. travel and tourism sector. The upcoming direct flights between Taipei and U.S. cities will contribute significantly to this growth.

For more information about these opportunities, contact Lynn Kao, Commercial Service Taiwan, at lynn.kao@trade.gov.