Filipinos became Taiwan’s top source of tourists from Southeast Asia in 2024, with numbers reaching over 415,000 by November. This surge was attributed to factors such as the extended 14-day visa-free entry for Filipino passport holders and the significant increase in flights between the two countries.
By RK Shih/Staff
KAOHSIUNG — Ilocos Norte is pitching a direct air link between Laoag International Airport and Kaohsiung International Airport (高雄國際機場), arguing a one-hour hop could boost tourism and trade on both sides of the Bashi Channel.
The Philippine News Agency reported that provincial tourism officer Aianree Raquel said the government is working on a marketing agreement aimed at drawing Taiwanese travelers and business delegations to the northern Philippines, a push that began under former governor — now vice governor — Matthew Joseph Manotoc. The plan would revive a route Laoag handled in the 1990s and 2000s, when charter flights from Kaohsiung and Guangzhou were common before ending in 2010 over security and other concerns.
Raquel said local agencies are preparing tour products to handle increased arrivals and will target East Asia for cultural exchanges, family travel, and business visits under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.
For Kaohsiung, the pitch is simple: beaches, heritage towns, and an easy weekend getaway — if airlines bite.
