Taiwan has been on the bucket list for Indian travelers. The country is implementing intelligent measures to contain Covid-19 and promote tourism. Mehak Chowdhary, Marketing and Communications Advisor, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, highlights country’s preparedness to welcome tourists.
How do you see Taiwan re-emerging as a Meeting Destination for the Indian market?
Taiwan’s first detected case was in December 2019, and since then the country has not crossed the 500-infections mark. Through the entire period, restaurants and malls have remained open, schools have been allowed to function and so have offices, albeit with changes to better control the spread of the virus. For two months now, we have had no domestic infections.
Why does all this matter to us as the Tourism arm of Taiwan? Because it instills a sense of faith in the country’s actions, in its transparency of the situation and in encouraging business, corporate, meetings-based and leisure travellers to convert that trust into real-time tourism.
Being considered one of India’s leading destinations in the region, do share the new travel products and other in Taiwan, that would interest the Indians outbound traveller?
Reflecting upon the period with the pandemic, that has affected individuals, professionals and corporates, we have globally coined ‘Holiday for Healing’ – an umbrella concept which reiterates that all visits to Taiwan being planned in the post-Covid situation will keep in mind the process of ‘healing’. Even MICE-related itineraries will weave in elements that encourage ‘healing’ during work and non-work hours – incorporating elements of nature, therapy, natural products and routines that will allow individuals to recover from the trauma of the pandemic period.
Where do you position Taiwan as a viable MICE destination post the Covid19 situation?
Taiwan’s pandemic management effectiveness is now becoming a ‘model for the world to follow. Understandably, in the post-Covid scenario, pandemic prevention effectiveness, travel safety, and medical standards will inevitably become one of the main considerations for cross-border tourism. After the situation stabilises globally, Taiwan will implement a three-stage ‘Holiday for Healing’ tourism within the country. In the meantime, given Taiwan’s control of the situation, large-scale exhibitions (such as Taipei International Summer Travel Expo, Taipei International Tourism Expo) have already begun and many more are being lined up for the last 2 quarters of the year. Each event is being carefully managed with a set of measures, and these will form the backbone of global MICE offerings.
Foreigners can also apply for short-term business visas from countries where our visa offices have resumed functioning.
What are your inputs on the Indian travel market and your marketing plans here in India?
With the pandemic ebbing in certain countries and still progressing in others, and this being a constantly changing situation, we are focussing more on digital and planning a series of seminars and online activities in the upcoming months.
What are the safety protocols for the Inbound Travellers into Taiwan post Covid19?
Now that economies have begun to open, we are looking at setting and revising measures as advised by the Central Epidemic Command Centre. All international travellers entering Taiwan (for non-tourism reasons, rather business/MICE etc) must produce a Covid-negative certificate which is not more than 3 days old, and will remain in home quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Taiwan.
For International tourists, protocols will be put in place going ahead.
