At the Chicago Travel & Adventure Show which took place from February 8-9, 2020, the Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) unveiled its theme for 2020: Year of Mountain Tourism. This new theme is designed to highlight five of Taiwan’s mountain ranges and 24 mountain-related package tours. Additionally, Taiwanese airlines China Airlines and EVA Air were also present talking about their latest flight offerings to Taiwan.
Many people, including avid travelers aren’t aware of Taiwan’s history or its beautiful mountain ranges. Taiwan Island was formed around three million years ago, which is a narrow and long island with a high mountain range from north to south: the Central Range, the Xueshan Range, the Yushan Range, the Alishan Range and the Coastal Range.
Hehuan Mountain in Taiwan. Courtesy of Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
There’s also a strong relationship between Taiwan’s aboriginal peoples and the mountains which for them, seem and feel eternal. The ridge mountains of Taiwan have nurtured the aboriginal tribes and their cultural heritage and traditions are closely related to the mountains. Historically, think: hunting trails, marriage paths and trading channels that have been expanded from hundreds and hundreds of years ago — historians will love that you can find many world-class pre-historical sites here and nature lovers will appreciate the hiking and raw natural beauty here.
To expand tourism to Taiwan from the American Midwest, Taiwan Tourism’s booth offered advice, insights, stories, fun games, and lantern making activities. They also had the Chicago-based Taiwanese dance group FASCA, perform Taiwanese aboriginal dances and lion dancing on the TAS Global Beats Stage, which brought a lot of people to Taiwan’s booth to learn more.
Chicago-based Taiwanese dance group FASCA, performing Taiwanese aboriginal dances on the TAS Global Beats stage. Photo credit: Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
On February 8, Taiwan Tourism Bureau hosted a workshop, introducing Taiwan’s tourism market and products to attendees. EVA Air gave away one ticket to a workshop participant — a return flight from Chicago to Taipei. In total, more than a hundred travel trade participated in the workshop over the course of the event.
Taiwan Tourism Bureau at Travel & Adventure Show Chicago. Photo credit: Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
“With 268 mountains higher than 9,800 feet, Taiwan is a perfect destination for adventure travelers, hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. The 24 mountain-related package tours offered during our Year of Mountain Tourism, include everything from hikes for novices and professionals alike, river tracing, aboriginal archery, as well as food and tea experiences.”
— Claire Wen, Director of Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s New York office
Taiwan Tourism Bureau at Travel & Adventure Show Chicago. Photo credit: Taiwan Tourism
They also offered kids the ability to make paper dolls and other things at their booth. I vouch that it’s equally fun for adults to partake in these exercises as well, having done it myself at the New York Times Travel Show in late January, where Taiwan also exhibited at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan.
To find out about future exhibitions Taiwan Tourism Bureau will be participating in, please visit: taiwan.events and other useful resources include their website and their Instagram page.
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Disclosure: This post was done in partnership/sponsorship with the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
