Taiwan could see record 11.79 million visitors for 2019

台灣2019年遊客將達到創紀錄1179萬

Number of visitors from outside China surged by 16% in October and 10% in November

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The number of foreign visitors in Taiwan could break last year’s record 11.06 million and reach 11.79 million for 2019, reports said Wednesday (December 11).

The expected rise comes despite a politically motivated ban by China on its individual travelers visiting the island beginning last August 1.

According to the tourism bureau, the number of foreign arrivals reached 10.71 million at the end of November, and last year’s total of 11.06 million could be equaled any day now, the Central News Agency reported.

Providence University tourism teacher Huang Jeng-tsung (黃正聰) said the number of tourists from outside China rose by 16 percent in October and by 10 percent in November, and could show another jump of 10 percent in December.

The number of Chinese visiting Taiwan in December was likely to fall by 140,000, but the number of other tourists would rise by 90,000, making for a total of 1,075,000 for the final month of the year, or 34,677 per day, Huang said.

The Tourism Bureau’s official target for 2019 was 11.28 million foreign arrivals, but Huang emphasized the high likelihood of the record still finishing higher, according to CNA.