Taiwan: one of Asia's top post-pandemic destinations

Taiwan: among Asia's top post-pandemic destinations

Here's how Taiwan's tourism industry is making a comeback, one step at a time. As the ongoing coronavirus pandemic severely disrupts travel across the globe, a subtropical island in the Western Pacific Ocean is already working to revive its tourism industry. Taiwan's response to the coronavirus outbreak has been and continues to be one of the best in the world. With only nine active cases on the island at the time of writing and only seven deaths since the first confirmed case in January, Taiwan's management of COVID-19 has put other countries to shame.

Reopening soon

As a result, Taiwanese authorities have said that international tourism could resume later this year. Foreign travellers will potentially be able to enter the country between October and December.

Emirates' Dubai-Taipei route reopened in June. While students from Vietnam, Hong Kong, Bhutan, Macau, Thailand, Palau, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Fiji and Mongolia will be allowed to return later this summer to complete their degrees. However, before Taiwan can get serious about international tourism, it has first revived its domestic tourism industry.

Fear of spreading the virus through long-distance travel was at the forefront of people's minds for most of 2020. Many Taiwanese chose to stay put and not risk visiting other cities. Now Taiwan has not had a case of COVID-19 in the country for over two months. So the tourism bureau and local travel agencies are encouraging people to start travelling again. Indeed, they are committed to improving their service in the process.

A huge blow to tourism due to COVID-19

The majority of non-citizens/residents have been banned from entering the country since 19 March. Tourism has therefore taken a huge hit. In addition, popular sites and destinations for foreign travellers have failed to attract the local population. As a result, the tourism industry has found itself in something of a dilemma. It has to prepare itself to eventually welcome foreign tourists again. But also offer experiences and tours that will appeal to Taiwanese travellers in order to stay afloat.

One of the best post-pandemic destinations

You can imagine the island's bustling night markets or drooling over its delicious bubble teas. But these are no longer the only things that put Taiwan on the map. In the midst of a global health crisis of unprecedented proportions, Taiwan has become the Golden Standard in the fight against COVID-19. While many countries continue to struggle to contain the spread of the virus and face ever-increasing numbers of deaths, Taiwan has managed to keep its number of cases and casualties relatively low, despite its close geographic proximity to mainland China. Taiwan even has vending machines that distribute face masks to its residents, so you can be sure that they are dedicated to protecting the public from the coronavirus.

Moreover, even before the pandemic, Taiwan developed a reputation for having a robust but affordable health system. As a result, it attracts medical tourists from all over the world. So rest assured that you will be well looked after during your stay.

As always, be sure to maintain a social distance and high standards of personal hygiene throughout your trip. Best practices include frequent hand washing, refraining from touching your face and wearing masks. Also, follow the instructions of local authorities and remain vigilant. If you experience symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough or loss of smell or taste, be responsible and isolate yourself immediately, seeking medical assistance if necessary. Overall, stay informed about the virus situation so you can have fun while exploring Taiwan.

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