Taiwan Tourism Workshop 2026 Highlights Growing Travel Demand and Stronger Philippines-Taiwan Partnerships

L-R: Mr. Vincent Ieung-Yu Lin, Director of Labor Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines & Cross-Border Workforce Recruitment Center; Mr. Yang, Tsung-Ming Ph.D, Commissioner of Tourism and Travel Department, New Taipei City Government; Ms. Cindy Chen, Director of Taiwan Tourism Information Center in Manila, Taiwan Tourism Administration, Bangkok Office; Mr. Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines; Mr. Kem Lim, Assistant Public Relations Officer of Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA); Mr. Jiun Chung Shiu, Branch General Manager Philippines of STARLUX Airlines; Mr. Ming-Hsien Kuo, Deputy Manager of EVA Air and Ms. Shiang Tsao, Deputy Secretary General of Taiwan Visitors Association

MAKATI CITY, Philippines — Taiwan’s growing popularity among Filipino travelers took center stage at the Taiwan Tourism Workshop 2026 held at Makati Diamond Residences, bringing together tourism stakeholders, travel agencies, airline partners, government representatives, and members of the media from both Taiwan and the Philippines.

Organized by the Taiwan Tourism Administration through the Taiwan Tourism Information Center (TTIC) in Manila, the workshop served as a platform for industry players to exchange insights, explore business opportunities, and strengthen tourism partnerships between the two destinations.

Welcoming guests to the event, Ms. Cindy Chen, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Information Center in Manila, underscored the importance of collaboration between Taiwan and Philippine tourism stakeholders. She highlighted Taiwan’s commitment to developing new travel experiences and strengthening engagement with the Philippine market through initiatives such as the Taiwan 100 Waves campaign, which encourages travelers to discover Taiwan through diverse and personalized experiences.

One of the workshop’s highlights was the B2B Travel Mart, where Philippine travel agencies, tour operators, tourism organizations, and airline partners met with Taiwanese suppliers and destination representatives to discuss new products, promotions, and future collaborations.

During the tourism presentation, Rick Yu of TTIC Manila shared encouraging tourism figures, reporting that Taiwan welcomed more than 627,000 Filipino visitors in 2025, the highest number recorded from the Philippine market. He also revealed that over 210,000 Filipinos visited Taiwan from January to March 2026, representing a 43 percent increase compared to the same period last year, making the Philippines Taiwan’s largest source of visitors in Southeast Asia.

Yu also reminded travel partners that Taiwan’s visa-free entry arrangement for Filipinos remains in effect and encouraged travelers to utilize Taiwan’s free online arrival card system. He likewise presented incentive programs designed for educational, corporate, and incentive travel groups, providing additional opportunities for travel organizers and agencies.

Among the event’s distinguished guests was Mr. Wallace Minn-Gan Chow, Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines. In his remarks, he emphasized the role of tourism in strengthening people-to-people exchanges, business relations, and cultural understanding between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Chow noted that Taiwan welcomed nearly 627,000 Filipino visitors in 2025, a 34 percent increase from the previous year. By April 2026, arrivals from the Philippines had already exceeded 280,000, with projections indicating that total arrivals could surpass 800,000 by year-end. He also highlighted the positive impact of visa-free travel arrangements in supporting tourism growth and economic cooperation between both destinations.

The workshop concluded with destination presentations, airline updates from China Airlines, EVA Air, and STARLUX Airlines, networking activities, cultural performances, and a lucky draw, reaffirming Taiwan’s commitment to welcoming more Filipino travelers and strengthening tourism ties under its “Waves of Wonder” campaign.