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| (Image Source: Orange Magazine PH/Taiwan Tourism Administration) |
The Taiwan Tourism Administration successfully hosted “2026 Taiwan Day in Manila” last August 22-23, 2026 at One Ayala in Makati City, with a total of 1,133 Filipino visitors taking part in the two-day affair. The turnout underscored strong interest in Taiwan as it has risen its ranks now as third among overseas destinations for Filipino travelers. Taiwan Tourism Administration Director Cindy Chen joined Minister Michael Lee, Deputy Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines; Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP) President Jel Directo; Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) President Jaison Yang; and representatives from China Airlines, EVA Air and STARLUX Airlines in opening the event. Centered on the theme “Taiwan 100 Ways: Find Your Wave, Discover Your Way”, the event premiered four themed travel videos featuring Filipino creators and officially launched the “Taiwan 100 Ways – Film Your Way” short-video contest.
A Young And Growing Travel Market
With a population of about 116 million and an average age of just 26, the Philippines is a large and youthful outbound travel market with significant growth potential. As the economy grows and the middle class expands, demand for outbound travel continues to rise. Philippine outbound trips reached 7.64 million in 2025, up 12% from 2024. According to the latest 2026 statistics from the Philippine Department of Tourism, Taiwan remains among the top three overseas destinations for Filipino travelers. Convenient flight connections and Taiwan’s trial visa-free entry program have helped Taiwan maintain this position. This year, the Taiwan Tourism Administration is focusing its public relations, product development and industry support efforts on four travel themes: food, culture, outdoor travel and stopovers.Through the Taiwan Tourism Information Center in Manila, the Tourism Administration is also strengthening two-way engagement with local travel operators and prospective visitors, with the goal of attracting more Filipino travelers to Taiwan and bringing tourism exchanges between Taiwan and the Philippines to record levels. To highlight the close ties between Taiwan and the Philippines as island nations, the opening ceremony featured the maritime theme “Taiwan Sailor’s Knot” at center stage with a knot representing the connection between the Philippines and Taiwan, the ties that continue to bring them closer together, and echoed the Taiwan Tourism Administration’s “TAIWAN – Waves of Wonder” brand. When guests from Taiwan and the Philippines pulled the ropes taut, the knot loosened, symbolically unlocking the many ways to experience Taiwan and officially marking the launch of the short-video contest. Chen said Filipino travelers’ enthusiasm for Taiwan is the driving force behind the Administration’s continued efforts in the Philippine market. She expressed hope that the four featured Filipino creators, each with more than 1 million followers, would inspire more Filipinos to create and share their own Taiwan travel videos.
Filipino Creators Explore Taiwan Through Four Themes
The four themed videos featured leading Filipino creators exploring the routes firsthand. On the “Waves Of Flavor” food route, fashion, food and lifestyle creator Laureen Uy-Cruz explored Michelin Guide restaurants including Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand picks. On the “Waves Of Culture” culture route, Vins Carlos and Yosh Dimen, the duo behind travel vlog The Poor Traveler visited Tamsui Old Street and the Fulong International Sand Sculpture Art Festival. On the “Waves Of Vitality” outdoor route, vlogger-actor Kimpoy Feliciano visited Sun Moon Lake and Guguan Hot Spring. On the “Waves Of Stopover” route, former flight attendant Jen Barangan-David showed how passengers can use a layover at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport to visit both new and established landmarks including the Danjiang Bridge and Taipei 101.
Interactive Stations And On-Site Highlights
To build interest in travel to Taiwan, the event featured four themed experience stations. Visitors who completed the activities could enter a raffle for round-trip EVA Air ticket to Taipei with departures available from Manila, Clark or Cebu. The Human Claw Machine drew some of the longest lines of the event, with visitors eager to try their luck at grabbing Taiwan-themed prizes. Another highlight was the “Taiwan Connection Station”, a retro-style phone booth where Filipino families with relatives or friends working or studying in Taiwan could connect by live video, creating heartfelt moments of reunion for families separated by distance. Beyond the on-site activities, the Taiwan Tourism Administration is also promoting repeat travel through “Return To Taiwan, Double Your Luck”. Filipino independent travelers who visited Taiwan on or after January 1, 2023 and return on or after October 10, 2026 can register for a chance to receive NT$5,000 in travel credit. Winners traveling with a companion visiting Taiwan for the first time will receive NT$5,000 while their companion can receive NT$3,000 for a combined value of up to NT$8,000. Online registration opens on October 1, 2026 at 10:00 am and the program runs until March 31, 2027. The promotion encourages past visitors to return to Taiwan and bring friends or family along on their next trip.
“Taiwan 100 Ways – Film Your Way” Contest Now Open
The “Taiwan 100 Ways – Film Your Way” short-video contest is jointly organized by the Taiwan Tourism Administration and the Creator and Influencer Council of the Philippines (CICP) with strong support from China Airlines and STARLUX Airlines. The contest is now open to all Filipinos and entries must be 30- to 60-second vertical videos. Submission of these entries are until January 15, 2027 and the winners will be announced during the “Taiwan Day In Cebu” event on March 2027. Full entry details are available on the official Taiwan Tourism PH Facebook page.
