Cheese Report January 2021

Market Watch

• Government Looking to Get Ready for Post-pandemic ‘Revenge Tourism’
• Major Digital Marketing Trends in 2021: Live Streaming & Podcasts Gain Strength
• 2021 ‘New Normals’: How Dining, Consumption, and Travel Will Change in New Digital Era
• 10 Major Trends in 2021: Which Business Will Hit It Big? Who Will Benefit from New Opportunities?
• 2020 Taiwan Travel Hotspots: Eastern Taiwan at the Top, Tainan only 10th
• Overcoming the Dangers of Revenge Tourism: Stanley Yen Lays Out His Vision

Tourism Industry Update

• Taiwan Outbound Departure Statistics, January-December 2020
• DGBAS Latest Economic Indicators for December 2020
• 2022, 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festivals to Be Held in Kaohsiung, Taipei
• Turning Creative Tourism into Gold
• 4 Cycling Routes on Taiwan’s Northern Coast Better than Ever
• Domestic Travel Insight: Expensive Hotels Scoring High Occupancy Rates
• ‘Wu Feng Touring’ Holiday Shuttle Bus to Begin Operating in mid-February
• Big Discounts! Korea Grand Sale Opens Online
• Airlines Still Struggling to Survive COVID-19: IATA Urges Billions more in Financial Support
• Cathay Pacific Rolls Out Solution for Vaccine Distribution
• Dream Cruises Offers New Option for Heading Home for the Lunar New Year Holiday
• The Rail Economy Enters New Phase: TRA Planning 4 Station Complexes in Next 2 Years
• Cancellations of Year-End Banquets Has Hotels Promoting Alternatives

Media News

• ‘Search On’ Event Unveils Ways AI Making Google Search Smarter
• Capitalizing on Current Issues in Social Media Marketing
• Big Change in YouTube Policy – All Videos to Show Ads
• Facebook Unveils New Pages Layout – Surprises Users with Removal of ‘Like’ Button
• ‘Influencer Marketing Series: Will KOC Be New Influencer Marketing Blue Ocean?

Case Study

• National Treasury Administration – Alcohol Quality Certification Label Campaign

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Market Watch

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Government Looking to Get Ready for Post-pandemic ‘Revenge Tourism’

“After the pandemic ends, the tourism sector will see a wave of pent-up demand. We have to act now to get ready,” said Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung at a forum on “tourism transformation” attended by several Cabinet officials. They agreed that Taiwan’s success in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic will unleash a large inflow of overseas visitors once the pandemic ends, but said the old model of attracting a million visitors for one-time visits is no longer viable. The goal, they said, is a sustainable tourism model encouraging 10,000 people to visit 100 times. One area of need is quickly improving Taiwan’s transportation network, said Minister without Portfolio Chang Jing-sen

^{Source：Yahoo News
Full article…}

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Major Digital Marketing Trends in 2021: Live Streaming & Podcasts Gain Strength

2020 was difficult for marketers and strategists. Because of COVID-19, e-commerce boomed, more time was spent on social media, and video conferencing becoming the norm, leading to a major shift in how brands connect with customers. Social Media Today listed seven marketing trends that will continue to permeate 2021 that brands cannot ignore. One of them is the continuing rise of easy-to-consume content, such as podcasts, that help brands connect more deeply with customers. Another is the continued strength of live streams and influencer content, which can build trust and create the “in-the-moment” connection that consumers crave.

_{Source：INSIDE
Full article…}

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2021 ‘New Normals’: How Dining, Consumption, and Travel Will Change in New Digital Era

Everybody is trying to get acclimated to the new normal created by the COVID-19 pandemic. What were once considered basic behaviors, such as eating out, shopping, or traveling, have all undergone major structural changes, especially going from “offline” to “online.” Here are 16 microtrends in how daily living and consumption are changing:

• 01. Fun, game-like experiences (on apps especially) a key to success
• 02. People’s time more fragmented, the consumer decision journey shorter
• 03. OTT platforms becoming huge, with more diverse and local content
• 04. Demand for online streaming soaring – have you watched Netflix or listened to a podcast today?
• 05. Movie theaters becoming “church-like”; going to see a movie to be a collective ritual for people and a way to gather socially
• 06. 5G sending games to the cloud, enabling them to be enjoyed anywhere
• 07. Art exhibitions no longer fear epidemics, helped by technology collaborations
• 08. More purchases of food and other daily necessities being made online; e-commerce becoming addictive
• 09. The home turning into a fitness center, people working up a sweat without going out
• 10. Unable to meet in person, people interacting socially by virtual means online
• 11. More important to eat healthy than eat a lot: green food craze emerging in Taiwan
• 12. People glued to food delivery platforms, ghost kitchens abound
• 13. More restaurant goers making reservations, ordering food ahead of time, leading to more efficient in-person dining experiences
• 14. People eating alone a common sight; single-person meals super hot!
• 15. In-depth “travel like a local” plans and “staycations” emerge as traveler favorites
• 16.Working and vacationing at the same time; the workation concept is being reinterpreted

^{Source: Business Next
Full article...}

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10 Major Trends in 2021: Which Business Will Hit It Big? Who Will Benefit from New Opportunities?

2020 is finally over. COVID-19 ravaged the world, but that also forced many companies to accelerate their digital transformations, leading to many innovations, and many industries will inevitably be different in the coming year. Inc. magazine came up with 10 technology and business trends it expects to see in 2021.

• 01. Drug development revolution with advanced COVID-19 testing and vaccine development
• 02. Continued expansion of remote working and videoconferencing
• 03. Contactless delivery/shipping remain the new normal
• 04. Telehealth and telemedicine flourish
• 05. Online education and e-learning as part of the educational system
• 06. Increased development of 5G infrastructure, new applications, and utilities
• 07. AI, robotics, internet of things, and industrial automation grow rapidly
• 08. Virtual reality and augmented reality technologies usage rises
• 09. Continued growth in micromobility
• 10. Ongoing autonomous driving innovation

^{Source: Manager Today, Inc.
Full article…..}

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2020 Taiwan Travel Hotspots: Eastern Taiwan at the Top, Tainan only 10th

Expedia’s 2021 Travel Trends Report for Taiwan revealed that Taitung, Hualien and Pingtung were the destinations that drew the most buzz among Taiwanese travelers in 2020. Whether driven by the COVID-19 pandemic or other reasons, Taiwanese tourists in 2020 preferred local, in-depth tourism experiences such as trips to small towns and road trips, such as heading to nearby mountains or the seaside to camp, or island hopping. Yet travelers continue to yearn for overseas travel, with Tokyo, Taipei, Osaka and Kyoto the most searched destinations for 2021. Expedia also found that flexibility, a priority on health and safety, booking travel less than a month out and demand for alternative accommodations will be traveler priorities in 2021.

^{Source: Business Next
Full article…}

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Overcoming the Dangers of Revenge Tourism: Stanley Yen Lays Out His Vision

The coronavirus has ruthlessly closed countries’ borders, leaving Taiwanese unable to see the world. Still yearning to travel, they have flocked to major domestic destinations, inundating them with crowds.This “revenge tourism” has helped the domestic tourism market survive COVID-19, but Stanley Yen, Taiwan’s godfather of tourism, has been alarmed by the trend. He fears short-term tactics geared toward capitalizing on the domestic rush and the lack of attention to “transformation” could come back to haunt the industry. To prevent adverse outcomes, he suggested changing how “time off” is defined in Taiwan and having the travel industry put more emphasis on “positioning” and “management growth,” repackage and strengthen tourism experiences, and learn from global trends to identify competitive edges.

^{Source: Global Views Monthly
File…}

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Tourism Industry Update

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Taiwan Outbound Departure Statistics, January-December 2020

1. Taiwanese went aboard 2,335,564 times in 2020, down 86.34% from the 17,101,335 times they went abroad in 2019 because of the travel restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The top destination for outbound travelers in 2020 was Japan, followed by China, South Korea, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Travel to all five destinations plummeted from a year earlier due to COVID-19, falling by as much as 90.57% to Hong Kong.

3. Outbound departures have declined month-by-month during the pandemic since peaking at 37,786 in August, totaling 20,318 in December as COVID-19 cases surged globally.

^{Charts: Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications}

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DGBAS Latest Economic Indicators for December 2020

1. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.06% in December 2020 compared to the same month in 2019, but fell 0.23% for the year as a whole. The Wholesale Price Index fell 5.10% in December and was down 7.80% for all of 2020.
2. Taiwan’s unemployment rate was 3.68% in December, and 3.76% after seasonal adjustments. For all of 2020, the jobless rate was 3.85%, up 0.12 percentage points from 2019. There were 11.53 million people employed and 440,000 unemployed in December, and an average of 11.50 million people employed and 460,000 unemployed in all of 2020. The labor participation rate was 59.14% in December and for 2020 as a whole.
3. The average salary of workers in Taiwan (including full-time and part-time Taiwan nationals and foreign nationals) in November was NT$42,786 a month, up 1.63% year-on-year. Average monthly earnings, which include base salary plus bonuses, overtime pay and other irregular income, was NT$48,242, up 0.65% year-on-year. The average pay of hourly workers in November was NT$190 an hour, up 6.74% year-on-year.

^{Source: DGBAS Latest Indicators}

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2022, 2023 Taiwan Lantern Festivals to Be Held in Kaohsiung, Taipei

Taiwan’s main lantern festival in 2021 was canceled as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but it will be back next year. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has announced that the main Taiwan Lantern Festival will return to Kaohsiung in 2022 and to Taipei in 2023 after a more than 20-year absence from the two cities.

^{Source: Tourism Bureau, Ministry of Transportation and Communications}

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Turning Creative Tourism into Gold

Taiwan has seen a surge in domestic travel, but can that momentum be sustained? Many parts of Taiwan are endowed with natural beauty, but can that beauty translate to opportunity? The answer is it can if localities get creative. With overseas travel still inaccessible because of COVID-19 restrictions, small local towns that had been on the decline are being revived as popular attractions, with their residents serving as guides, recounting local stories. This new opportunity has encouraged communities to get creative and develop in-depth travel experiences that showcase local characteristics and the lore of the area. As these creative tourism efforts pop up in many towns, they could emerge as the development opportunity with the greatest potential once the pandemic eases.

^{Source: Global Views Monthly
Full article...}

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4 Cycling Routes on Taiwan’s Northern Coast Better than Ever

Government agencies completed improvements to four cycling routes on Taiwan’s northern coast at the end of last year that can now be fully enjoyed. The routes are: 1) Qianshui Bay in Sanzhi to Baishawan in Shimen (8 km); 2) Baishawan to the Fugui Cape Lighthouse (3 km); 3) Zhongjiao Bay in Jinshan to the Yehliu Geopark (12 km); and 4) Happiness Square in Wanli to the Waimushan Shore Walk in Keelung (5 km). There are also places to rent bikes and other services along the way, and the area can be accessed by public transportation.

^{Source: 7totravel (7to.com.tw)
Full article…}

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Domestic Travel Insight: Expensive Hotels Scoring High Occupancy Rates

Domestic travel in Taiwan surged in 2020 as people who love to travel were unable to leave the island because of COVID-19, and high-end properties such as Gaeavilla Resort in Hualien and Hoshinoya Guguan were the beneficiaries, ranking among the leaders in occupancy rates. That is expected to continue in 2021. Hoshinoya Guguan is already fully booked through July.

^{Source: Economic Daily News
Full article…}

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‘Wu Feng Touring’ Holiday Shuttle Bus to Begin Operating in mid-February

A “Wu Feng Touring” shuttle bus will begin operations on Feb. 14, the third day of the new Lunar New Year, and run on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays in the Wufeng area, a corridor of old and contemporary history. The bus will give passengers a taste of that history, stopping at 10 major attractions, including the Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden.

^{Source: 7totravel (7to.com.tw)
Full article…}

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Big Discounts! Korea Grand Sale Opens Online

The 2021 Korea Grand Sale has moved online and is being held from Jan. 14 to Feb. 28. The promotional event targets foreigners, and the face of this year’s activity is Eric Nam, an American singer and songwriter of Korean descent.

^{Source: 7totravel (7to.com.tw)
Full article…}

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Airlines Still Struggling to Survive COVID-19: IATA Urges Billions more in Financial Support

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents the global aviation industry, has said airlines will need another US$70 billion to US$80 billion in aid to survive the coronavirus crisis.

^{Source: BBC Chinese
Full article…}

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Cathay Pacific Rolls Out Solution for Vaccine Distribution

Cathay Pacific Cargo has built on its extensive experience in transporting pharmaceutical shipments to develop a fast and effective solution for distributing COVID-19 vaccines across the globe. The solution, called Ultra Track, can monitor information including temperature, GPS location, and humidity.

^{Source: 7totravel (7to.com.tw)
Full article…}

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Dream Cruises Offers New Option for Heading Home for the Lunar New Year Holiday

People in Taiwan who are tired of fighting traffic or scrambling for tickets ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday can now head home in style on a cruise liner. Dream Cruises has launched new two-day, one-night Lunar New Year packages on its “Explorer Dream” that offer a new “blue highway” travel option during the holiday. The cruise company is also offering four-day, three-night cruises departing on Lunar New Year’s Eve (Feb. 11) and the second day of the new year (Feb. 13).

^{Source: United Daily News
Full article…}

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The Rail Economy Enters New Phase: TRA Planning 4 Station Complexes in Next 2 Years

The Taiwan Railways Administration is hoping to operate sustainably in the future, and one initiative to achieve that is to capitalize on the huge flow of traffic through its stations by creating more commercial value. The idea is to use a TOD (transit-oriented development) model to create multi-purpose commercial complexes, develop land assets, bring to life idle space, and develop rail tourism, and ultimately turn stations into transportation, commercial, travel and living hubs.

^{Source: Newtalk
Full article…}

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Cancellations of Year-End Banquets Has Hotels Promoting Alternatives

With COVID-19 fears still strong, many local governments have canceled their large-scale year-end banquets. Several hotels have responded by rethinking the year-end gathering experience to survive. The Regent Taipei, for example, is offering a “cruise-themed” year-end celebration built around hotel rooms, its swimming pool and fine dining. Another hotel has even offered to rent out the whole building. The Courtyard by Marriott has opted for “mini” banquets to make up for lost revenues, offering private buffets at a discount for parties as small as one table of 10 people.

^{Source:TVBS
Full article…}

Media News

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‘Search On’ Event Unveils Ways AI Making Google Search Smarter

◆ Identifying spelling mistakes
According to Google, one in 10 queries is misspelled every day, leading Google to introduce a new spelling algorithm to address the problem. It draws on search keywords used in the past and website user habits to predict the terms users want to check in the future and improve its ability to decipher misspellings.

◆ Passages
Google can now not only index web pages but also understand individual passages from the pages and their relevancy. In the future, users can easily find “needle-in-a-haystack” information they are looking for.

◆ Subtopics
Google will soon be able to divide broad keywords into more narrowly focused subtopics, which helps deliver a greater diversity of content on the search results page and allows users to find what they are looking for more quickly.

◆ Hum to search
Google can now use AI technology to provide a “hum to search” service – users can simply hum a tune and it will automatically match the melody to the right song.

^{Source: awoo Growth Hacker
Full article…}

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Capitalizing on Current Issues in Social Media Marketing

Fan pages have seen their reach steadily decline amid Facebook’s constant tweaking of its algorithms, making it more difficult than ever to manage social communities. Beyond strengthening content to widen the organic reach of a fan page, exploiting popular or current events is a good way to create a buzz.

Here are four guidelines to building your social community following:

◆ Guideline 1: Hot topics come and go, seize on the first 3 days after an issue surfaces​
Getting in early on a hot issue in the news not only makes it easier to grab attention, it can also capture media attention and give a brand exposure beyond its own content to a broader mass market.

◆ Guideline 2: Focus on link between issue and brand; a strong link means better “memorability.”
While speed is important, capturing a following through a hot topic requires that it is in some way connected to the brand.

◆ Guideline 3: Add marketing solutions, convert social community strength into opportunity​​
The main purpose of drawing in followers by highlighting hot topics is to increase traffic and recognition, goals that are not directly tied to sales. But if brand marketing solutions are added to the mix, the additional traffic generated could give a boost to actual sales results.

◆ Guideline 4: Take a stand on an issue to reflect a brand’s values​​
Consumers’ attitudes on spending are constantly changing, and today when they spend money to make a purchase, they are not only buying a product but also the values and ideals represented by the brand.

^{Source: Carat Media Taiwan
Full article…}

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Big Change in YouTube Policy – All Videos to Show Ads

YouTube has recently changed its “Right to Monetize” terms. In the future, ads will be shown on all videos on YouTube, and some creators may not receive any revenue from ads on their videos. In other words, even creators who originally did not want ads on their videos to boost click rates will now have no way to maintain their ad-free status. At the same time, viewers will have to be more patient than before.

^{Source: Newtalk
Full article…}

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Facebook Unveils New Pages Layout – Surprises Users with Removal of ‘Like’ Button

Facebook unveiled its new Facebook Pages layout in its official blog on Jan. 6. The new layout includes a redesigned layout that’s more intuitive, a dedicated news feed, and a new text-based Q&A format. What was most surprising to those who operate Pages is the removal of “Likes” counts and the Like button. Pages will now only display a “Follow” button and follower count.  

^{Source: INSIDE
Full article…}

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‘Influencer Marketing Series: Will KOC Be New Influencer Marketing Blue Ocean?

“KOC” (key opinion consumers) is an extension of the KOL concept. One often hears about “micro influencers,” but KOCs are real consumers with a platform who share reviews of actual experiences. They have built a small following over a long period of time, which in turn drives real sales. He are ways they can be used to boost reach and sales.

◆ New brand opportunity, three keys to KOC use:
Whether it’s because a brand cannot work with a big KOL because of a lack of funds or because it has already achieved what it can with a KOL, KOCs provide brands new opportunities. The keys to working with KOCs are: 1) turn followers into brand spokespersons; 2) get micro influencers to talk about their own experiences; and 3) build long-term relationships.

◆ New ways to work with influencers, three platforms are all you need
There are many types of platforms for influencer marketing, with social communities, forums, and private groups the three most common.

◆ Generate “hybrid” content to create word-of-mouth buzz
Lancome China has KOCs with high rates of interaction connect with ordinary KOCs to increase discussion of the brand and its products.

◆ Mixing KOC and KOL to Build Stronger Bonds
Many brands cleverly use “big + small” tie-ups to promote their brands, such as bringing together a celebrity with the highest level of recognition, such as Janet Hsieh, and small KOCs with only a few thousand followers. That can lower the cost and diversify the risk of the campaign, and using a large number of KOCs guarantees expanding the audience and reaching a wider range of consumer segments.

^{Source: Carat Media Weekly Report
Full article…}

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Case Study

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National Treasury Administration – Alcohol Quality Certification Label Campaign

Campaign Background
An internet marketing approach was used to promote the “Ministry of Finance Alcohol Quality Certification System” aimed at raising awareness of the “Alcohol Quality Certification Label” and strengthen the marketing and promotion of quality wines and liquors. The campaign’s specific goal was to get consumers to understand the significance of certification labels and market quality alcoholic beverages.

The campaign relied in part on designing creative, eye-catching visuals, converting them into attractive event pages and leveraging them in conjunction with social community engagement, internet prize drawings and consumer interaction. KOL Rosalina’s Kitchen also participated, using videos to promote the certification label for fine wines and liquors.

In the past, efforts to promote alcohol quality certification labels have focused on “safety,” telling consumers that products with labels were safe to consume. But because alcoholic beverages are mass-consumption products and also luxury products, we felt it was important to emphasize their quality as well as their safety. We therefore used digital marketing tools to extend the label’s guarantee of “safety” to “quality,” and bolster the label’s image and recognition to get more liquor vendors interested in using it.

Main visuals
First phase: Remember the W label for Safety

Second phase: Remember the W label for Quality
*Transcended the limitations of static print media ads; used 10-second videos to communicate the main visuals

Link to event site

Ad Elements

Second phase: You are a W detective and could win a NT$300 shopping code All you have to do is identify a premium liquor with Alcohol Quality Certification and you have a chance to receive a code to access funds for use at a convenience store

Rosalina’s Kitchen YouTube Channel
Information on Alcohol Quality Certification was embedded in videos shown on KOL Rosalina’s Kitchen YouTube channel; it conveyed several concepts, including that consumers should select a wine or liquor with a W label and that liquors with certification are recognized internationally for good quality.