Taiwan eyeing post-COVID-19 travel niche in the woods
02/03/2021 10:28 PM
Alishan. File photo courtesy of the Chiayi Forest District Office
Taipei, Feb. 3 (CNA)Taiwan s tourism industry, laid low by the COVID-19 pandemic, is gearing up to find a niche market in ecotourism, encouraging people to visit the country s forests, in particular, authorities said recently.
In the wake of a six-month pilot program that allowed citizens and foreign residents to visit any one of Taiwan s 12 forest recreational areas for free, officials said they are hoping that the momentum would continue, creating new possibilities for the country s travel industry.
According to the Forestry Bureau, some 2.38 million tourists visited the forest parks July 15-Dec. 31 last year during the special promotion, representing a 38 percent increase from the same period in 2019.