Cheese Report Jun 2026

Outbound Departures of Nationals of the Republic of China by Destination, April & January-April, 2026

1. Ranking First Globally! The Number of Taiwanese Tourists Visiting South Korea in March Skyrocketed by 95% Compared to the Pre-Pandemic Period

According to the latest data from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea in March has surpassed the pre-pandemic levels of March 2019. During this period, the number of Taiwanese tourists surged by 95%, with the growth rate ranking first in the world. Tourism has become one of Taiwan’s proudest forms of soft power.

2. Keelung–Ishigaki Ferry Makes Maiden Voyage Today! Capacity of 545 People Expected to Annual Attract 1.45 Million Tourists

The highly anticipated “Port of Keelung –Ishigaki Island” passenger route officially set sail today (28th). Attending the maiden voyage ceremony, Keelung Deputy Mayor Chiu Pei-lin stated that this is not merely the opening of a maritime transportation route, but it also symbolizes the narrowing of the distance between the two harbor cities of Keelung and Ishigaki. In the future, it will further deepen tourism, cultural, economic, and non-governmental exchanges, opening a brand-new chapter for bilateral interactions between Taiwan and Japan.

Chiu Pei-lin explained that the new route is expected to provide one voyage per week, with each voyage capable of carrying 545 passengers. This not only offers Taiwanese travelers a brand-new “island-hopping tourism” option for visiting Japan, but is also expected to attract the international and Japanese tourists –who visit Ishigaki at a rate of about 1.45 million passenger-times annually –to extend their travels via this maritime route to visit Keelung and Taiwan for sightseeing.

3. STARLUX Shareholders’ Meeting / Chang Kuo-wei: Competing for Cargo Alongside Passengers; Entering Sydney Next Year, Freighter Deliveries to Begin in 2028

At the STARLUX Airlines (2646) shareholders’ meeting on the 29th, Chairman Chang Kuo-wei stated that STARLUX Airlines is moving step-by-step toward its goal of becoming a “full-service airline” and is actively expanding its global network layout. The first European route, “Taipei – Prague, Czech Republic,” is scheduled to officially launch on August 1st, while new destinations such as Sydney in Australia, Switzerland in Europe, and Barcelona in Spain are being evaluated simultaneously; for the North American market, the focus is primarily on the central and mid-US regions, with evaluations underway for routes to Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Dallas, continuing to grow the company’s intercontinental footprint.

4. Taiwan’s Travel Subsidy Is Here! Get a Chance to Win NT$5,000 When Traveling Abroad; Complete “This Step” for a Shot at It… Can You Register Retroactively After Returning Home?

From now until December 31, 2026, any R.O.C. citizen with household registration in Taiwan who travels abroad holding a Taiwan passport during the event period, and completes the “Outbound Travel Registration” on the official LINE account of the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure or during their trip abroad, will be eligible for the lucky draw in the month following their departure. The same person cannot win the prize more than once in the same calendar year.

5. Multi-City Travel in the Asia-Pacific Region Increases by 35% Year-on-Year; Industry Players: Gradually Becoming a Mainstream Model

Data from travel industry players shows that during this year’s Labor Day period, “multi-city travel” in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 35% compared to the same period last year, indicating that “multi-destination travel” is gradually becoming a mainstream travel model.

Travel agency Trip.com issued a press release explaining that during this year’s Labor Day period, “multi-city travel” in the Asia-Pacific region achieved a year-on-year growth rate of 35% compared to the same period last year. As Japan, South Korea, China, and some Southeast Asian countries simultaneously welcomed the Labor Day holiday, driving cross-border travel crowds within the region, Taiwan’s outbound flight bookings showed strong double-digit growth, demonstrating that Taiwanese travelers’ demand for cross-border travel continues to stage a robust recovery.

Trip.com stated that currently, more than 30% of international travel covers multiple destinations, and its booking growth rate is more than two times higher than that of traditional single-destination travel. This indicates that the way travelers plan their trips is continuously changing; compared to a single location, more and more travelers tend to connect multiple cities in one journey to maximize their time and travel value.

● “2026 AI Influencer Marketing Trends Report” Key Insights and Brand Layouts for Social Media and Influencer Marketing

From the widespread adoption of ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and various AI Agents, AI is changing the patterns through which consumers search for information, get to know brands, and make purchasing decisions. At the same time, consumers’ trust in traditional advertising continues to decline, replaced by a strong reliance on authentic experiences, social media word-of-mouth, and creator content.

Based on the “2026 AI Influencer Marketing Trends Report” released by Kolr, this article compiles key insights into influencer marketing and social media platforms to help brands lay out their future growth strategies.

Source: adHub
https://pse.is/95wnrc

● Stop Reposting TikTok Videos! Massive IG Algorithm Overhaul: Non-Original Content Will Have Reach Restricted

To crack down on the spread of non-original and repetitive content, Meta has confirmed that IG is preparing a major shake-up of platform content quality. A new wave of policies has already been rolled out on IG, with the core focus being to boost exposure opportunities for original content. If an account mostly just reposts or makes only simple modifications, it will be much harder to appear on the recommendation pages in the future.

Source: Newtalk
https://pse.is/95sev6

● Meta Rolls Out AI Age Detection Tool; Suspected Accounts Under 13 to Be Suspended First

Meta announced on the 5th that it will use artificial intelligence to scan photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram, judging whether users are under 13 years old through visual cues such as height and bone structure. If the system determines that an account may belong to a minor, the account will be suspended first, and users must pass age verification to restore it. Meta emphasized that this technology is “not facial recognition,” but rather estimates age through general visual cues to more accurately identify and remove accounts that do not comply with age regulations.

Source: TechNews
https://pse.is/95sfab

● YouTube and Shorts to Automatically Detect AI-Generated Videos, Labels to Be More Prominent

Following the rollout of somewhat vague AI video labels in 2024, Google will adopt more prominent labeling methods for AI-generated videos, no longer relying on creators to proactively disclose whether they used AI tools to make their videos.

Source: TechNews
https://pse.is/95sg29