Last weekend (February 14-15), the Taiwan Tourism Bureau participated in the 2026 Phoenix Travel & Adventure Show held at the Phoenix Convention Center. They set up a distinctive “Taiwan Tourism Pavilion,” showcasing diverse cultures and immersive interactive experiences to attract a large number of visitors.
The pavilion, in conjunction with the recently opened direct flight from Phoenix to Taipei, is actively enhancing Taiwan’s visibility in the southwestern U.S. market and expanding its long-haul tourist source.
Lin Yizheng, head of the Tourism Division of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, introduced Taiwan’s tourism promotion theme “Taiwan – Waves of Wonder” and the official tourism mascot “OhBear” – a cartoon image of a Formosan black bear adored by both young and old.
The Taiwan Tourism Pavilion, located at the entrance core route of the expo, features a bright and lively overall design. The most eye-catching highlight is a giant pearl milk tea art installation paired with the OhBear motif, becoming a popular spot for visitors to take photos. The booth also includes hand-held signs and a photo booth to enhance engagement and brand recall.
Coinciding with the Asian traditional New Year, the organizers prepared limited edition red envelope bags containing QR codes for digital blessings and random small gifts; they also arranged cultural experiences such as a Taiwanese pinball game and traditional conical hat DIY activities, combining traditional elements with digital interactive technology, attracting thousands of visitors over the two days.
The event received support from the local overseas Chinese community, with advisory council members Gao Zhizhong and Wu Minrui, as well as the volunteer team from the Taiwan Association of Arizona, on-site to assist. Volunteers dressed in traditional costumes of the Rukai and Paiwan indigenous tribes provided guided tours, showcasing Taiwan’s diverse ethnic cultural characteristics, which became a highlight of the exhibition.
The event also integrated tourism and industry resources. U.S.-based Lion Travel promoted themed itineraries such as “Taiwan Railway Island Circumnavigation,” while the newly established Taroko Gorge in Phoenix offered discounts on baseball bat swinging experiences, echoing Taiwan’s baseball culture and deepening experiential marketing effects.
On the 14th, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau hosted a briefing luncheon for industry operators, with representatives from China Airlines, EVA Air, and Starlux Airlines attending to introduce Taiwan’s travel resources, festival events, international passenger incentive measures, and direct flight service features to local travel industry professionals, deepening the integration between destination and aviation resources. The three airlines also sponsored round-trip business class tickets to Taiwan as lucky draw prizes, highlighting Taiwan’s travel advantages of being “easy to reach and great to start exploring.”
Lin Yizheng noted that with the opening of the Phoenix to Taipei direct flight, the convenience of local travelers visiting Taiwan has significantly improved. In addition to showcasing Taiwanese-themed pavilions at the travel expo, they are actively promoting activities such as “Free Half-Day Tour Upon Entry to Taiwan” and “Transit in Taiwan, Special Gifts Await You!” airport shopping coupon promotions, as well as Taiwan Pass discounts. They are also collaborating with airlines to develop transit passenger groups, continuously boosting the momentum of visitors from the southwestern U.S. to Taiwan.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau will continue to participate in exhibitions in Los Angeles and Dallas, including the Los Angeles Travel & Adventure Show (March 7-8) and the Dallas Travel & Adventure Show (March 28-29). For more information on Taiwan tourism, please visit the official website of the Ministry of Transportation’s Tourism Bureau.