Japanese Visitor Numbers to Taiwan Surge Nearly 50%: Agency Reports.

TAIPEI: More than 1 million Japanese travelers visited Taiwan in the first 10 months of this year, marking an increase of nearly 50 percent compared to the same period last year, the Tourism Administration reported Wednesday. This growth signals a significant recovery in tourism, with projections indicating that the number of Japanese visitors will reach a new high in the fourth quarter, setting a record for the largest Q4 total since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Focus Taiwan, data from the agency showed that Japan was the second-largest source of inbound visitors to Taiwan in the first eight months of the year, accounting for 16 percent of all arrivals. This follows closely behind Hong Kong, which contributed 16.2 percent. In an effort to attract more Japanese tourists, the tourism agency has teamed up with Taipei 101, Taiwan's most iconic building, to launch a baseball-themed special exhibition. This exhibition features Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani's 50th home run ball, which was acquired by a Taiwanese company for US$4.392 million at an auction held by Goldin Auctions in the United States last month. Furthermore, the promotional efforts for Taiwan include a visual show using Taipei 101's Tuned Mass Damper to project a giant baseball, enhancing the attraction for visitors. According to the tourism agency, a total of 6.49 million overseas visitors arrived in Taiwan this year as of November 12, surpassing the 6.48 million who visited in 2023. However, this number still falls short of pre-pandemic levels.