On June 7th, the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation held a Taiwan Tourism Promotion Seminar in San Francisco, attracting nearly one hundred local travel agencies to participate in the event. The lively event facilitated extensive business exchanges between the two sides.
Organized by the Taiwan Ministry of Transportation’s Tourism Bureau, the event saw the participation of the Taipei City Tourism Promotion Office, 11 Taiwanese travel agencies, and 3 airline companies, all of whom introduced a variety of immersive experiential activities.
During the seminar, Lai Ming-chi, the Director of the Taiwan Representative Office in San Francisco, highlighted Taiwan’s renowned multiculturalism, emphasizing not just its delectable cuisine but also its rich cultural heritage. He extended a warm invitation to American friends to visit Taiwan and immerse themselves in its culture.
Ke Yi-jun, Chief of the International Division of the Tourism Bureau, expressed to a reporter that the primary goal of this promotional event was to establish a communication channel between the tourism industries in North America and Taiwan. She stressed the importance of facilitating face-to-face exchanges among industry players, stating that only after building strong relationships can businesses gradually grow.
She also introduced the brand logo of Taiwan tourism, explaining that the unique font design incorporates three mountains symbolizing Taiwan’s numerous peaks, inviting visitors to engage in mountain climbing or hiking. The logo, with its wave-like curvature, signifies continuous surprises in Taiwan tourism.
The seminar showcased the latest version of Taiwan’s tourism brand 3.0, “TAIWAN- Waves of Wonder,” and presented the newest tourism resources and high-quality services available in Taiwan.
The event featured a diverse range of activities, including interactive ecological paper folding by internationally renowned paper-cutting master Hong Xinfu, silk fan painting instruction by renowned artist Zeng Yanhui, tea ceremony experiences by Yilan’s old tea shop Lu Yuan Tea Estate, as well as handicraft activities such as window decorations and wooden coaster-making.
Hong Xinfu, the paper-cutting master, shared that while he initially started creating paper-cuttings for making toys, he later discovered how it could vividly showcase Taiwan’s beauty. Today, he connects with people from around the world through his paper-cutting art.
Zeng Yanhui, the silk fan painting master, mentioned that his art is an integral part of Taiwan’s traditional culture. At the event, he taught attendees how to paint plum blossoms on silk fans, as plum blossoms symbolize happiness and the auspicious meaning of “Five Fortunes Blossoming from Plum.”
Lin Pei-ying, the fourth-generation descendant of Lu Yuan Tea Estate, explained that Taiwan’s nearly three hundred peaks over three thousand meters high nurture high-quality Taiwanese tea due to its exceptional geographical location. She elaborated on the stories behind the four-course tea table feasts, enlightening attendees about the cultural essence of Taiwanese tea.
When introducing the wooden coasters for cups and storage boxes made using Taiwan’s woodworking craftsmanship, Jiang Wenzhong expressed their hope to attract more foreign friends to visit Taiwan through this unique woodworking art.
The immersive Taiwan experience left many industry participants with a fresh understanding of Taiwan and heightened anticipation for deeper collaborations with Taiwanese counterparts.