Cheese Report October 2024

The Taiwan-Japan Travel Pass launched in Taiwan offers two options: the “Travel Pass” and the “Unlimited Pass.” The Travel Pass includes a one-way ticket for the Taoyuan Airport MRT and a Keisei Electric Railway Skyliner ticket, priced at 2,780 yen, saving 210 yen. The Unlimited Pass builds on the Travel Pass by adding a Tokyo Metro ticket (available in 24/48/72-hour options), with prices ranging from 3,580 to 4,280 yen depending on the chosen duration of the Tokyo Metro ticket.

This collaboration, jointly promoted by three friendly railway companies –Taoyuan Metro, Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway, and Taipei Metro –introduces a digital ticketing platform service. Travelers can easily purchase the pass through online travel platforms in Taiwan and Japan. The pass is priced in Japanese yen, and the actual price in New Taiwan dollars will be calculated based on the exchange rate of the day. Taoyuan Metro kindly reminds travelers to check the exchange rate before purchasing to ensure the best deal. After completing the purchase, travelers will receive a QR code voucher, which can be exchanged for a physical ticket at designated counters in Keisei Electric Railway and Taoyuan Metro stations, significantly enhancing travel convenience.

The first mainland tourist familiarization tour group to arrive in Kinmen after the pandemic was led by Lin Feng, Secretary-General of the Xiamen Tourism Association. The group consisted of 13 representatives from the mainland tourism industry, including those from Jianfa International Travel. Upon disembarking, they received a warm welcome from representatives of the county government and local communities. The Speaker of the Kinmen County Council, Hong Yundian, along with nine other council members who previously visited Beijing to meet with Song Tao, the director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, were present to welcome the group. The scene was lively and festive, filled with the sounds of gongs and drums.

The first stop was to visit the “Deyue Tower” and “Jinshui Elementary School” in the Shuitou settlement, where they can experience the rich culture of the overseas Chinese community. In the afternoon, the itinerary included an immersive tourism experience at the “Jingwu Winery,” where they explored Kinmen’s Kaoliang liquor through a sensory journey. Following that, they visited the Shenghengchang Kin Lake Plaza to observe its operations and development, and engage in discussions with local accommodation providers. The next two days (19th and 20th) were planned for visits to well-known attractions such as the Tianpu Reservoir, Shanhou Folk Village, Shamei Morocco, Chen Jinglan Western-style House, and the Huxia Seawall. They were scheduled to return to Xiamen on the afternoon of the 20th, taking the 2:30 PM ferry via the “Mini Three Links.”

In the past, Taiwanese travelers primarily visited Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam, mainly due to business needs. These two major cities, located in the north and south, have developed their tourism industries early and are home to numerous star-rated hotels. In mid-2023, the Vietnamese government introduced visa exemptions for 15 countries, including Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, Spain, and Italy. Unfortunately, Taiwan was not included in this visa exemption list and instead transitioned from a paper visa to an electronic visa for entry into Vietnam, except for Phu Quoc Island! To put it simply, if Taiwanese travelers go to Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Da Nang, they still need a visa, but Phu Quoc Island is completely visa-free! As a result, Phu Quoc tourism has become a popular keyword for travel to Vietnam online this year.

Located in the southwest, Phu Quoc Island is Vietnam’s largest island, known for its clear waters and pristine white beaches. Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable ambition from the Vietnamese government to actively develop the area. The island’s facilities have become increasingly modern and upgraded, with numerous five-star hotels and luxury villas. In addition, Phu Quoc Island boasts Vietnam’s largest wildlife park and amusement park, as well as the world’s longest sea cable car, making it a top choice for family travel. Recognizing the rising popularity of Phu Quoc, airlines like VietJet, Bamboo Airways, and Tigerair are competing for this lucrative market, with Starlux Airlines launching direct flights this month to grab a share of the pie.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand will increase the number of seats offered by various airlines flying to Thailand and enhance the frequency of regular and charter flights on existing routes. It will promote Thai Charms and Hidden Gem Cities that cater to the preferences and needs of international travelers. This strategy will be highlighted in Thai dramas, movies, and music videos shared among Thai fan groups.

For the short-haul international market, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has categorized travelers into “new generation” and “secondary markets.” They plan to launch promotional activities primarily aimed at attracting new-generation travelers from China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. Additionally, marketing initiatives will target the travel needs of Generation Y, families, and high-income travelers, which include shopping enthusiasts from ASEAN, as well as self-driving or train travel from Malaysia, Singapore, and China.

In targeting the international market, the Tourism Authority of Thailand will continue to promote the message “Amazing Thailand: Your Travel Story Never Ends.” This campaign aims to inspire travelers to become storytellers by sharing their most unforgettable memories, encouraging others to seek out their own stories in Thailand.

According to the Philippines Department of Tourism, from January to August 2024, a total of 150,086 Taiwanese tourists visited the country, marking a 17.62% increase compared to 131,849 in the same period last year. February saw the highest number of Taiwanese visitors, with 24,263 arrivals. During the same period, the Philippines received a total of 3,705,268 international visitors, a 10.85% growth from the previous year. Taiwanese tourists accounted for 4.19% of this total.

The “Greater Bay Area Tower Alliance" was established under the guidance and active promotion of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and the Macao Government Tourism Office. According to a report by CCTV News, the formation of this alliance represents not only a cross-regional cooperation between iconic towers in the Greater Bay Area (Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau), but also signals a closer future collaboration in the cultural and tourism sectors. This partnership aims to create a more integrated and competitive tourism offering across the region.

★Guangzhou Tower: The tallest tower in China, also known as “Xiao Man Yao” or “Slim Waist,” holds multiple world records.
★Ping An Finance Centre, Shenzhen: The building features the world’s highest glass observation deck, standing at 547.6 meters.
★Sky100, Hong Kong: At 393 meters high, this is the tallest indoor observation deck in Hong Kong.
★Macau Tower: The 338-meter tall tower is the tallest structure in Macau and is famous for its “bungee jumping” experience.

In terms of growth rates by advertising type, the scale of the video advertising market is 17.981 billion, with a growth rate of 8.5%, making it the most promising category of advertising at present. The main driving force comes from international platforms that are expanding new traffic and actively promoting short video formats. Additionally, the shift in entertainment behavior among the new generation of viewers from cable television to internet television has begun to warm up the demand for internet TV advertising formats, which has further highlighted the importance of video advertising.

The influencer endorsement live streaming, which had maintained a certain growth momentum in the past, has been affected by platform algorithms and the decline in traffic bonuses post-pandemic. Top influencers have announced plans to cease updates or transition their content. Consequently, brands have reduced brand-oriented marketing and begun shifting towards sales-driven micro-influencer operations. This has led to an increase in the number of influencers, but the overall investment amounts from brands in individual projects have decreased. As a result, the total influencer capacity has slightly declined from 5.995 billion in 2022 to 5.467 billion, reflecting a negative growth rate of -8.8%.

★Source of report: DMA Taiwan Digital Media Applications and Marketing Association
★For downloading the complete Taiwan Digital Advertising Volume Statistical Report (Content is in Traditional Chinese): / download

• As of early 2024, there were 21.71 million internet users in Taiwan, with an internet penetration rate of 90.7%.
• As of January 2024, there were 19.2 million social media users in Taiwan, accounting for 80.2% of the total population. 
• As of early 2024, Taiwan had a total of 30.85 million mobile network connections, which corresponded to 128.9% of the total population. 

At the same time, data released from popular social media platform advertising planning tools showed that as of early 2024, there were 17.28 million social media users aged 18 and above in Taiwan, accounting for 85% of the population aged 18 and older. More broadly, as of January 2024, 88.5% of internet users in Taiwan (regardless of age) had used at least one social media platform. Among these social media users in Taiwan, 50.4% were female, while 49.6% were male.

The Status of Facebook Usage Among Taiwanese People in 2024

According to data published by Meta’s advertising resources, there were a total of 16.95 million Facebook users in Taiwan as of early 2024. As of early 2024, Facebook’s advertising reach in Taiwan accounted for 70.8% of the total population. However, it was important to note that Meta only allowed individuals aged 13 and older to use Facebook. Therefore, in 2024, 79.5% of the “eligible” audience in Taiwan were users of Meta.

The Status of YouTube Usage Among Taiwanese People in 2024

According to Google’s advertising resources, there were a total of 19.2 million YouTube users in Taiwan as of early 2024. YouTube’s own data indicated that the advertising reach of YouTube in early 2024 corresponded to 80.2% of the total population in Taiwan. Based on these figures, as of January 2024, YouTube’s advertising reached 88.5% of the number of internet users in Taiwan (regardless of age). Among the YouTube advertising audience in Taiwan, 50.6% were female, while 49.4% were male.

The Status of Instagram Usage Among Taiwanese People in 2024

According to data published in Meta’s advertising tools, there were a total of 11.35 million Instagram users in Taiwan as of early 2024. In early 2024, Instagram’s advertising reach corresponded to 47.4% of Taiwan’s total population. However, since Meta only allowed users aged 13 and above to use Instagram, it was noteworthy that in 2024, 53.2% of the “eligible” audience in Taiwan uses Instagram. Additionally, it was worth mentioning that in early 2024, Instagram’s advertising reach was equivalent to 52.3% of the local number of internet users (regardless of age). Among the advertising audience on Instagram in Taiwan in early 2024, 56.5% were female, while 43.5% were male.

The Status of TikTok Usage Among Taiwanese People in 2024

According to data from ByteDance’s advertising resources, there were a total of 5.65 million TikTok users aged 18 and above in Taiwan as of early 2024. ByteDance’s data indicated that in early 2024, TikTok’s advertising reach covered 27.8% of adults aged 18 and over in Taiwan. Additionally, as of early 2024, TikTok’s advertising reach corresponded to 26% of the local number of internet users (regardless of age). Among the advertising audience on TikTok in Taiwan in early 2024, 45.7% were female, while 54.3% were male.