Taipei, Alishan, Sun Moon Lake and Tainan are at the centre of Taiwan’s latest tourism push as the island prepares a NT$33.3 billion programme designed to strengthen domestic travel and attract more international visitors. The initiative, known as the Tourism Dual-Axis Drive Programme, contains nine measures covering weekday accommodation, travel incentives, Taiwan PASS discounts, repeat international visitors, business travel and major international concerts. The programme is scheduled to begin rolling out from September 2026, with the international visitor measures designed to increase travel spending and encourage travellers to return to Taiwan.
Taiwan Tourism Targets International Visitors
Taiwan’s new tourism investment arrives as international arrivals continue to recover. Tourism Administration data shows Taiwan received approximately 8.575 million international visitors in 2025, an increase of 9.12 per cent from 2024. International visitors generated US$11.033 billion in tourism spending, excluding international airfares, while the average visitor spent US$185.14 per day and stayed for an average of 6.95 nights.
The latest programme places particular attention on repeat international visitors. In 2025, repeat visitors represented 42.25 per cent of international arrivals, slightly above the pre-pandemic 2019 level of 42.22 per cent. The government is using this returning visitor base as one of the key groups for the new international tourism incentives.
Repeat Visitors Can Receive Travel Credits
For international travellers who have already visited Taiwan, a new incentive will provide opportunities to receive stored-value travel credits. Beginning with arrivals from 10 October 2026, eligible repeat independent travellers can enter a weekly draw for an NT$5,000 travel credit. A companion travelling with a selected visitor can qualify for an additional NT$3,000, bringing the potential combined benefit to NT$8,000. Online registration is scheduled to open on 1 October.
The programme applies to foreign passport holders without a Taiwan residence permit who have previously visited Taiwan since 1 January 2023 and plan to stay for between three and 90 days during their next visit. This makes repeat travel an increasingly important part of Taiwan’s international tourism strategy.
Travel Support Extends Beyond Leisure Trips
Taiwan’s tourism investment is also targeting business and group travel. The international tourism component includes incentives for travellers extending their stays after conferences and exhibitions, international incentive travel and group visits. Support is also being provided for internationally recognised concerts, linking major events with tourism demand.
For qualifying international incentive groups, support is linked to group size and length of stay, with programmes aimed at encouraging companies and organisations to include Taiwan in longer multi-day travel itineraries.
Taipei, Tainan and Taiwan’s Major Destinations
For travellers, the programme adds financial incentives to an already broad destination network. Taipei remains a key urban entry point, offering city attractions, food markets, shopping districts, museums and transport connections to other parts of the island.
Further south, Tainan provides a different travel experience centred on historic districts, temples, traditional food and cultural attractions. Travellers can combine a city stay with visits to other destinations through Taiwan’s extensive rail and public transport network.
Sun Moon Lake provides an alternative based around lake scenery, cycling routes, mountain landscapes and cultural attractions. The destination can be incorporated into a multi-stop itinerary connecting central Taiwan with other cities and scenic areas.
Alishan, meanwhile, offers mountain landscapes, forest railway experiences, sunrise viewing and tea-growing areas. Its location in Chiayi County makes it suitable for travellers seeking a nature-focused extension to an itinerary that begins in Taiwan’s major cities.
Taiwan PASS Supports Cross-Regional Travel
Transportation is another part of Taiwan’s tourism strategy. The upgraded Taiwan PASS introduced in April 2026 combines transport options with access to scenic-area shuttle services, helping international and domestic travellers move between urban centres and tourist destinations. The international version is centred on high-speed rail, while another version uses Taiwan Railway services.
This transport structure allows visitors to create multi-destination itineraries rather than limiting trips to one city. A traveller can combine Taipei with central Taiwan, continue towards Tainan or Kaohsiung, and incorporate scenic destinations along the way.
Domestic Tourism Also Receives Support
The NT$33.3 billion programme is not exclusively focused on overseas visitors. Five measures target domestic tourism, including weekday accommodation subsidies, birthday travel vouchers, amusement-park overnight incentives, company employee travel support and Taiwan PASS discounts.
Weekday accommodation support is scheduled from 1 September to 30 November 2026. Participating travellers can receive accommodation reductions of up to NT$800 for the first night and NT$1,200 for the second night in Taiwan proper, with higher amounts available for qualifying stays on offshore islands.
A Broader Tourism Push Across Taiwan
The nine measures are expected to generate approximately 4.4 million additional tourism participants and around NT$37.4 billion in tourism output, according to Taiwan’s Tourism Administration.
For international visitors, the programme creates new reasons to return, extend stays and travel beyond the main gateway cities. For domestic travellers, weekday discounts and transport incentives are designed to encourage overnight trips and more frequent travel.
With Taipei’s urban attractions, Tainan’s heritage, Sun Moon Lake’s landscapes and Alishan’s mountain experiences all forming part of Taiwan’s wider tourism network, the new investment places greater emphasis on connecting different travel experiences across the island. The result is a tourism programme that links financial incentives with accommodation, transport, events and multi-destination travel, giving international and domestic visitors more ways to experience Taiwan in 2026 and beyond.
