A Taiwanese band performs at a media event in Hong Kong yesterday. The event was organized by the Taiwan Visitors' Association to introduce upcoming promotions by Taiwan's travel industry. CNS

HONG KONG: The mainland soon may overtake Japan to become Taiwan's most important market for tourism. Hong Kong however is where Taiwan spends the most on tourist promotion, according to Wang Chun-pao, the top representative of Taiwan's Tourism Bureau in Hong Kong.

At a media event introducing upcoming promotions by Taiwan's travel industry, the director of the Taiwan Visitors' Association's Hong Kong Office said the number of mainland tourists may surpass 800,000 this year.

In the first five months, mainland tourist arrivals reached 414,953, about 23.17 percent of the total number of visitors to Taiwan.

Given the continuous and avid interest shown by mainland travelers, the market across the Taiwan Straits may well "become Taiwan's No 1 market next year", he said.

Japan is Taiwan's biggest tourism market at the present time, accounting for 1.05 million tourists last year. The number is expected to grow another 10 percent this year, despite fears that the influx of mainland tourists could squeeze Taiwan's other tourism markets.

The staggering growth of mainland tourism may attract more attention. But to many travel operators, it would be a huge mistake to ignore the flourishing centers of Hong Kong and Macao.

Tourist arrivals from the two special administrative regions totalled 618,667 last year, soaring by 25.89 percent, according to the Taiwan's Tourism Bureau. The two centers were the second largest market for Taiwan's tourist industry last year and would have remained in second spot were it not for the huge influx from the mainland.

In the first five months, Taiwan registered 297,163 tourist arrivals from Hong Kong and Macao, or 16.59 percent of the total. The year-on-year growth is a robust 26.3 percent.

Part of the reason is the shift in travel preferences among Hong Kong and Macao tourists. Instead of going on long-distance trips, holidaymakers are taking less-expensive short-haul tours. It's estimated a long-distance trip costs four to six times more than a vacation to a nearby destination.

On the other hand, Taiwan's appeal to Hong Kong and Macao travelers - the tasty, low-priced food and amiable, laid-back atmosphere - is growing.

Taiwan became the No 1 destination for Hong Kong tourists last year, beating perennial favorites Thailand and Japan. Another sign of the growing vibrancy of the Taiwan market is that visitors from Hong Kong are venturing beyond their traditional haunts in Taipei and exploring central and southern Taiwan scenic spots.

Some 60-70 percent of Hong Kong tourists do not participate in tour groups. Taiwan has become a back garden that people from Hong Kong visit repeatedly, said Wang.

That is behind the enthusiasm among Taiwan travel operators' enthusiasm to promote actively in Hong Kong. The representative office in Hong Kong counted one to three media events and more than 10 promotional projects every quarter, Wang said.

Gloria Wang, the Deputy Senior Manager of Nantou's Shangarila Hanging Garden and Resort, shared that view.

"We receive Hong Kong tourists almost every day ... Most of them find us without the help of travel agencies. There seems to be a lot of interest online," she said, explaining the resort's decision to promote in Hong Kong.

Not even A (H1N1) flu will seriously dampen interest among Hong Kong and Macao travelers, said Wang.

Despite the flu outbreak, Hong Kong and Macao tourist arrivals jumped 12.79 percent in May. Past history shows "May is a good indicator for the whole year," he said.

(HK Edition 06/10/2009 page2)