Starting from April 15th, passengers taking the LA Metro light rail trains on the East LA Line (E Line) and Azusa Line (A Line) in Los Angeles will encounter the “Taiwan Tourism” train designed by Taiwanese artist Hong Yi. The train, themed around “Auspicious Lions Offering Prosperity” and “Business Prosperity with Dragons”, will showcase Taiwanese attractions and cuisine, offering a taste of Taiwan across various locations in greater Los Angeles.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau, in collaboration with the LA Metro, has adorned the light rail trains in Los Angeles with colorful illustrations of Taiwanese culture and food designed by Hong Yi. The train will run from April 15th to October 24th (28 weeks), with both sides looking forward to planning more extensive partnership and promotional programs following this collaboration.
Hong Yi, a recipient of the prestigious MUSE Creative Award, has showcased his works in exhibitions in Japan, the United States, and Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport. Using traditional paper-cutting techniques, he has depicted iconic Taiwanese landmarks such as Taipei 101, Sun Moon Lake, and the Big Buddha of Bagua Mountain. Recently, he shared with Los Angeles media via video call his creation of the “Taiwan Mazu Pilgrimage”, honored by the Discovery Channel as one of the “world’s top three religious events”, alongside Vatican Christmas Mass and the Mecca pilgrimage. Through vibrant colors, Hong Yi’s art highlights popular Taiwanese delicacies like pearl milk tea, braised pork rice, as well as locally grown fruits and the famous Donggang tuna season, showcasing Taiwan’s rich tourism resources.
Hong Yi warmly welcomes friends from around the world to visit Taiwan, the beautiful island. Director Jian Deyuan of the Taiwan Academy in Los Angeles also revealed that Hong Yi plans to visit Los Angeles this year to participate in cultural events, engage with local artists, and foster Taiwan-US cultural interactions.
The East LA Line connects East Los Angeles to Santa Monica, passing through prominent attractions like the Crypto.com Arena, USC (University of Southern California), the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the California Science Center, and Santa Monica Beach, attracting more international attention to Taiwan. The Azusa Line links Azusa to Long Beach, passing through Pasadena, Los Angeles Union Station, downtown Los Angeles, and various regions of greater Los Angeles, allowing local commuters to learn about Taiwan.
Lin Yizheng, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Los Angeles office, mentioned that Los Angeles, as the largest city in the United States by population, attracts millions of tourists annually. The advertisements on the light rail train offer exposure to Taiwan’s unique attractions for businesspeople, students, tourists, and local residents. Leveraging the extensive coverage of the Los Angeles light rail system, the ads aim to showcase the beauty of Taiwan to visitors from all over the world and Los Angeles residents, attracting them to explore Taiwan’s culture and scenery through Hong Yi’s artwork, thus anticipating more tourists visiting Taiwan this year.
Lan-Chi Lam, Director of the Los Angeles Light Rail Communications Department, noted a continuous increase in subway ridership. In comparison to February of last year, total subway ridership in February of this year increased by 9.4%, exceeding 23 million passengers for the month. Last year, the total number of bus and train passengers reached 284 million, marking an 11.6% increase from the previous year, the highest number since the pandemic began. She expressed delight in collaborating with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau to introduce Taiwan’s tourism resources to passengers travelling on the Los Angeles light rail trains through the vehicle advertisements, aiming to enhance the visibility of Taiwan’s tourism.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau is utilizing this opportunity to promote Taiwan’s railway travel to the mainstream American market. International travelers visiting Taiwan can opt for the Taiwan Pass program (https://twpass.tw/), which combines high-speed rail, metro, and local buses, enabling them to visit attractions and savor a variety of cuisines at the best prices.
责任编辑：嘉蓮