Promoting Tainan Tourism through Food Culture and Metro Marketing at the NATAS Travel Fair in Singapore
Posted Date:2025-08-15
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Introduce
The expansion of the Tainan tourism market is a top priority for the Tainan City Government. On August 15, a delegation led by Deputy Director-General Cheng Tao-Li from the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government traveled to Singapore to take part in the fall session of the “NATA Travel Fair.” The Fair for three days from August 15 to 17. Diverse travel information, tastings for agricultural specialty produce, and exhibition of specialty souvenir gifts were organized by City Hall to give visitors a personal introduction to the wonderful food and urban hospitality of Tainan. The program was very well received. The Tourism Bureau also launched a series of tourism adverts in the Bugis metro stations, a key transportation hub in Singapore. Four representative city landscapes and the theme of the four seasons were used to make Tainan a more attractive destination to international visitors by communicating the cultural warmth and tourism depth of the city.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che stated that Singapore’s economic importance in Southeast Asia translates into high GDP and buying power. The similarities in language and culture, as well as frequent flights, make it a market with great tourism potential. According to the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, more than 440,000 Singaporeans visited Taiwan in 2024, making it the second largest source market in Southeast Asia. Visitors were particularly interested in Taiwan’s food and natural scenery. As the foodie capital, Tainan is popular with international travelers due to its street food, night market culture, and specialty desserts. Tainan’s catering prowess has been recognized by the Michelin Guide international gourmet magazine as well, with 30 restaurants listed in the Bib Gourmand and 34 included in the Guide itself, bringing the total to 64 restaurants. UK-based Time Out also named Tainan as one of the best places to travel in Asia in 2025, making it very attractive to the Singaporean market.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government stated that the city has been working to develop the Singaporean market for some time. Local interest has been gradually built up through participation in the travel fairs, media collaboration and the integration of tourism resources. President Chiu Hsien-nian from the Hotel Association of Tainan and Dakeng Leisure Farm were also invited to take part in the exhibition. In addition to information about travel destinations, the display also featured specialty products and agricultural produce that combine culture & creativity with historical elements. These included souvenir gifts from historical monuments such as the Confucius Snack Noodles, Cheng Gong Pop Corn, Yue Lao Fruit Gummy, Grand Matsu Pea Cracker, Cheng Gong Potato Chips, and Grand Matsu Milk Puff, as well as Maodou Pomelo Floral Drip Coffee, Tomato Gummy, Wumile Rice Cookie, Buckwheat Tea Bags, and Dongshan Coffee. An orchid display printed with the Singaporean national flag and Tainan City badge was also set up to showcase the unique living aesthetics and natural scenery of Tainan. Visitors could also receive a gift for filling out a survey or pressing like on Instagram. Tainan tour packages were also introduced in partnership with local travel agencies in Singapore to attract more visitors. Well-known Singaporean food influencer “Miss Tam Chiak” was also invited to appear at the Fair to share her travels in Tainan and promote the city’s traditional street food as a food lover.
A marketing campaign was launched in conjunction with the Fair. Advertising for Tainan tourism was displayed for the first time in the Bugis metro station, an important transportation hub in Singapore, for a four-week period from July 31 to August 27. The advertising campaign featured four representative images of landscapes to embody the theme of “Scenes of the Day from Four Seasons in a Year.” The concept of “Truly Taiwan, Truly Tainan” was incorporated to create a visually immersive experience for travelers from four different times throughout the day and the four seasons in each year. Chosen sights included the Erliao Sunrise Pavilion for watching the spring dawn, the summer greenery of Sicao Green Tunnel, the Beimen Jingzaijiao Salt Fields in the autumn dusk, and the warm light from the sea of lanterns on Shennong Street on winter nights. The advertising in the metro station invited travelers to venture into Tainan to experience for themselves the warmth and stories of the city.
The Tourism Bureau stated that Tainan’s exhibit at the fall NATAS Travel Fair was very popular with visitors. It not only generated a great deal of interest in traveling to Tainan but also meant high marks for the City Hall’s promotion of bilateral tourism. The Bureau intends to continue expanding its advertising strategy in other target cities. Diverse methods, including participation in travel fairs, media, and KOL collaborations, will be utilized to boost Tainan’s profile and draw overseas.
Tainan City Mayor Huang Wei-che stated that Singapore’s economic importance in Southeast Asia translates into high GDP and buying power. The similarities in language and culture, as well as frequent flights, make it a market with great tourism potential. According to the Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, more than 440,000 Singaporeans visited Taiwan in 2024, making it the second largest source market in Southeast Asia. Visitors were particularly interested in Taiwan’s food and natural scenery. As the foodie capital, Tainan is popular with international travelers due to its street food, night market culture, and specialty desserts. Tainan’s catering prowess has been recognized by the Michelin Guide international gourmet magazine as well, with 30 restaurants listed in the Bib Gourmand and 34 included in the Guide itself, bringing the total to 64 restaurants. UK-based Time Out also named Tainan as one of the best places to travel in Asia in 2025, making it very attractive to the Singaporean market.
Director-General Lin Kuo-hua from the Tourism Bureau of Tainan City Government stated that the city has been working to develop the Singaporean market for some time. Local interest has been gradually built up through participation in the travel fairs, media collaboration and the integration of tourism resources. President Chiu Hsien-nian from the Hotel Association of Tainan and Dakeng Leisure Farm were also invited to take part in the exhibition. In addition to information about travel destinations, the display also featured specialty products and agricultural produce that combine culture & creativity with historical elements. These included souvenir gifts from historical monuments such as the Confucius Snack Noodles, Cheng Gong Pop Corn, Yue Lao Fruit Gummy, Grand Matsu Pea Cracker, Cheng Gong Potato Chips, and Grand Matsu Milk Puff, as well as Maodou Pomelo Floral Drip Coffee, Tomato Gummy, Wumile Rice Cookie, Buckwheat Tea Bags, and Dongshan Coffee. An orchid display printed with the Singaporean national flag and Tainan City badge was also set up to showcase the unique living aesthetics and natural scenery of Tainan. Visitors could also receive a gift for filling out a survey or pressing like on Instagram. Tainan tour packages were also introduced in partnership with local travel agencies in Singapore to attract more visitors. Well-known Singaporean food influencer “Miss Tam Chiak” was also invited to appear at the Fair to share her travels in Tainan and promote the city’s traditional street food as a food lover.
A marketing campaign was launched in conjunction with the Fair. Advertising for Tainan tourism was displayed for the first time in the Bugis metro station, an important transportation hub in Singapore, for a four-week period from July 31 to August 27. The advertising campaign featured four representative images of landscapes to embody the theme of “Scenes of the Day from Four Seasons in a Year.” The concept of “Truly Taiwan, Truly Tainan” was incorporated to create a visually immersive experience for travelers from four different times throughout the day and the four seasons in each year. Chosen sights included the Erliao Sunrise Pavilion for watching the spring dawn, the summer greenery of Sicao Green Tunnel, the Beimen Jingzaijiao Salt Fields in the autumn dusk, and the warm light from the sea of lanterns on Shennong Street on winter nights. The advertising in the metro station invited travelers to venture into Tainan to experience for themselves the warmth and stories of the city.
The Tourism Bureau stated that Tainan’s exhibit at the fall NATAS Travel Fair was very popular with visitors. It not only generated a great deal of interest in traveling to Tainan but also meant high marks for the City Hall’s promotion of bilateral tourism. The Bureau intends to continue expanding its advertising strategy in other target cities. Diverse methods, including participation in travel fairs, media, and KOL collaborations, will be utilized to boost Tainan’s profile and draw overseas.
