International travel fair offers cheaper getaways
Written by Writer on Sunday, October 26th, 2008
International travel fair offers cheaper getaways
GOING, GOING, GONE: Good deals tend to sell fast, the organizers said, inviting visitors to do research in advance and come early to avoid last-minute crowds
By Shelley Shan
STAFF REPORTER
Monday, Oct 27, 2008
The Taipei Times
Those planning a holiday might consider checking out discounted tour packages and tea-time coupons for five-star hotels on offer at this year’s Taipei International Travel Fair, which begins on Friday.
The event has been held annually since 1987 and is organized by the Taiwan Visitors Association (台灣觀光協會).
This year, travel industry representatives from 62 countries are scheduled to participate in the fair, with more than 1,200 booths offering a wide variety of information and travel packages.
Last year, around 193,000 visitors attended the four-day fair.
Though the expo, to be held at Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall I, is still four days away, travel agencies and hoteliers around the country were busy distributing promotional flyers and posting special offers on the expo’s Web site.
Travelers heading to Hong Kong or Macau could find tour packages priced below NT$10,000 per person for a three-day trip, while some travel agencies are offering discounted tours to more distant destinations, such as New Zealand, Japan and Germany.
Hoteliers are offering accommodation and meal discounts ranging on average between 50 percent and 70 percent.
Representatives from the government sector will also participate, taking the opportunity to promote niche tour packages.
The Council of Indigenous People has arranged 12 tourist routes that take visitors to a variety of locations where they can learn about Aboriginal cultures.
For those yearning to escape the daily grind, the Council of Agriculture will be promoting weekend getaways in the countryside.
Meanwhile, close to 200 representatives from China will attend a cross-strait travel fair to be held in conjunction with the International Travel Fair.
The travel expo will end next Monday. Good deals tend to sell quickly, organizers said, inviting visitors to do research beforehand and avoid the last-minute crowds.
