Taiwan Tourism Bureau (TTB) has partnered with the Mumbai Metro to expand awareness of Taiwan as a destination and promote tourism. The train, wrapped in colourful campaign images, was flagged off by Trust Lin, Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Singapore Office, from the Versova Metro Station. The campaign featured photos of popular web-series stars, Sumeet Vyas and Sapna Pabbi on vacation in Taiwan. The vibrant imagery highlights the wide variety of holiday experiences offered by Taiwan, ‘The Heart of Asia’, as well as its rich history and scenic beauty. Also present at the launch were guests and dignitaries from Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (TECC) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA).
Sumeet Vyas’s role in English Vinglish was loved by the Taiwanese audience and English Vinglish holds a box office record of being the 2nd highest grossing Bollywood movie in Taiwan. He will be seen next with Kubra Sait in REJCTX, a ZEE5 Original.
This campaign is part of TTB’s continued efforts to raise awareness among Indian travellers and increase the number of Indian visitors to Taiwan. Underscoring the importance of India as a tourist market, over the past year, TTB has increased its marketing budget for India by six-fold, taking it to US$1.2 million annually. Additionally, Indian nationals who hold a residency or valid visa for the United States, Canada, the Schengen states, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand or Australia are now entitled to a free Taiwan visa, which can easily be applied for online.
Aiming at a goal to establish Taiwan as a year-round destination of choice with top of mind recall for Indian travelers, TTB has planned a host of marketing activities to help grow the share of the Indian travel segment to Taiwan. A “2 20:20” strategy was put in place last year to grow the Indian traveller segment by 20 per cent by the year 2020. The aggressive outreach strategy includes road shows and tie ups with Indian media companies, such as multiplex chain INOX Leisure, to film and shoot a television series in Taiwan. A series of television commercials will also be rolled out in the coming months. The campaign will promote Taiwan as a multifaceted destination while also enhancing specialised segments, such as golf clubs and cruises to drive the top 2 per cent of the Indian market.
“We want our Indian friends to recognize Taiwan’s beauty. Taiwan is an untapped territory with umpteen opportunities for travellers to explore and has witnessed an exponential growth of Indian tourists lately. With its close proximity to India, it is an ideal getaway for the Indian traveller with great options for adventure, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events), family fun, golf, romance and wellness,” Lin explained on the marketing initiatives.
TTB, together with Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines, are also offering some special fares and transit offers for travelers to Taiwan. According to the release issued by TTB, the Indian market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and Indian travellers are amongst the world’s highest spenders. In the first half of the year 2019, there was a 6.8 per cent increase of Indian visitors to Taiwan. TTB has listed India as one of the focus countries for its New Southbound Policy targeting South and Southeast Asia and have allocated significant budgets of more than US$1 million to attract tourists from India.
Photo Caption :L-R: Dr Trust Lin, Director, Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Singapore Office), Alex Pen, Director, TAITRA and Mavin Lin, Security Advisor, Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Singapore Office
