Tainan Targets International Cruise Ship Opportunities to Tap into the Global Tourism Market
Posted Date:2025-06-30
58
Introduce
International cruise ship tourism has become one of the core elements of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications’ (MOTC) international tourism development efforts in recent years. Tainan’s extensive tourism resources as well as world-class harbor facilities at Anping Port where cruise ships can dock directly, offer a great advantage for the development of maritime opportunities. To tap into the international cruise ship market, Tainan City Government is collaborating with the Taiwan International Ports Corp. (TIPC) to persuade Mitsui Ocean Cruises, an international cruise operator, to scout out the city. Local tourism information has also been compiled for industry reference in the hopes of having cruise ships dock at Anping Port in the future.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che thanked the TIPC for helping to set up the scouting itinerary; The six tourism destinations Guanziling Hot Springs Scenic Area in Baihe District, the Fan-shaped Salt Fields in Jiangjun District, the Sicao Green Tunnel in Annan District, the Golden Coast in South District, the Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum in Shan-Shang District, and Yuejin Harbor in Yanshuei were all included in the 100 Taiwan Tourism Spotlights announced by the MOTC. The combination of mountains, ocean, historic buildings, side streets, natural ecology, and emerging sights reflects the diversity of Tainan’s tourism resources and makes them a natural choice for international visitors; to compete for international tourism sources, the City Hall not only continued to organize specialty tourism events in Tainan but also took part in large international exhibitions. In the first half of the year, for example, the team took part in FOODEX Japan, tourism promotion events in Tokyo, tourism promotion events in Hokkaido, as well as the Food & Beverage Trade Show and NATAS Travel Fair in Singapore. The team actively reached out to market Tainan to international travelers and invited them to visit the city.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau stated that the Mitsui Ocean Cruises representatives visited the Confucian Temple, Koxinga Shrine, Hayashi Department Store, Anping Old Fort, Anping Old Street, Jingzijiao Tile-Paved Salt Field, Sicao Green Tunnel, Nankunshen Daitian Temple and other famous attractions in Tainan City. These scouting trips will hopefully provide the businesses with an in-depth appreciation of Tainan’s historical heritage and cultural charm. The Tourism Bureau is continuing to strengthen the overall tourism services of the city to prepare to receive travelers from across the world. “Food, accommodation, leisure, shopping, transportation” are all being overhauled through the promotion of multi-language services and better travel information. On the transportation side, City Hall is working actively to integrate public transport resources. The “Tainan-Kaohsiung International Airport Route 111” for international travelers provides convenient transportation between Kaohsiung International Airport, Tainan Bus Station, and Tainan Airport. There is also the “Fucheng-Taijiang Route 98” with stops at many of Tainan’s top attractions including historical downtown buildings, Anping, Taijiang Ecological Culture Zone, and Cigu. These make it convenient for tourists to explore the art, culture, performance and exhibition spaces of Tainan in depth.
The integration of cultural attractions and transportation creates an attractive mix of the traditional and contemporary that has continued to boost the city’s international visibility and drawn more international tourists looking to experience the unique charms of the ancient capital.
Tainan will continue to strive to internationalize the Tainan brand so that most international travelers and travel operators will take notice of Tainan. The city can then become their first choice for exploring its vast cultural heritage and many surprises.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che thanked the TIPC for helping to set up the scouting itinerary; The six tourism destinations Guanziling Hot Springs Scenic Area in Baihe District, the Fan-shaped Salt Fields in Jiangjun District, the Sicao Green Tunnel in Annan District, the Golden Coast in South District, the Shan-Shang Garden and Old Waterworks Museum in Shan-Shang District, and Yuejin Harbor in Yanshuei were all included in the 100 Taiwan Tourism Spotlights announced by the MOTC. The combination of mountains, ocean, historic buildings, side streets, natural ecology, and emerging sights reflects the diversity of Tainan’s tourism resources and makes them a natural choice for international visitors; to compete for international tourism sources, the City Hall not only continued to organize specialty tourism events in Tainan but also took part in large international exhibitions. In the first half of the year, for example, the team took part in FOODEX Japan, tourism promotion events in Tokyo, tourism promotion events in Hokkaido, as well as the Food & Beverage Trade Show and NATAS Travel Fair in Singapore. The team actively reached out to market Tainan to international travelers and invited them to visit the city.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau stated that the Mitsui Ocean Cruises representatives visited the Confucian Temple, Koxinga Shrine, Hayashi Department Store, Anping Old Fort, Anping Old Street, Jingzijiao Tile-Paved Salt Field, Sicao Green Tunnel, Nankunshen Daitian Temple and other famous attractions in Tainan City. These scouting trips will hopefully provide the businesses with an in-depth appreciation of Tainan’s historical heritage and cultural charm. The Tourism Bureau is continuing to strengthen the overall tourism services of the city to prepare to receive travelers from across the world. “Food, accommodation, leisure, shopping, transportation” are all being overhauled through the promotion of multi-language services and better travel information. On the transportation side, City Hall is working actively to integrate public transport resources. The “Tainan-Kaohsiung International Airport Route 111” for international travelers provides convenient transportation between Kaohsiung International Airport, Tainan Bus Station, and Tainan Airport. There is also the “Fucheng-Taijiang Route 98” with stops at many of Tainan’s top attractions including historical downtown buildings, Anping, Taijiang Ecological Culture Zone, and Cigu. These make it convenient for tourists to explore the art, culture, performance and exhibition spaces of Tainan in depth.
The integration of cultural attractions and transportation creates an attractive mix of the traditional and contemporary that has continued to boost the city’s international visibility and drawn more international tourists looking to experience the unique charms of the ancient capital.
Tainan will continue to strive to internationalize the Tainan brand so that most international travelers and travel operators will take notice of Tainan. The city can then become their first choice for exploring its vast cultural heritage and many surprises.
